Hope Is Eternal
by The Congressman
Summary: It is so simple to give up hope. For the people of the world with the iron-fist of Ozai seemingly invincible most already have. However, the thing about hope is that it is eternal, and the dark hand that controls the world faces its greatest threat from the unlikeliest source. AU set in the same time as the series. Zutara.
1. Prologue: The End of Hope

**A/N: Hello. My name is Alex and I'm new to this fandom. I've read fics for ATLA for a while now and I decided it would be fun to branch out of my usual SVU fics and tackle one of my own here. To anyone who is reading thanks for giving me a shot :)**

**I've always felt a bit restrained by cannon so I'm starting with a moderately AU fic set at the same time as the show. There were a few factors I wanted to explore that didn't happen in cannon (plus some stuff that wouldn't hold up if we looked at things outside a child's perspective). The fact that the show was a children's show first and foremost leaves a lot of leeway to interpret large scale social, political, and cultural factors. **

**Just to clarify, this will be Zutara, with one other major pairing and a few minor ones.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. If I did it probably would have gone longer and that movie contract would never have gone to M. Night Shyamalan; what were they thinking? That movie was the most God-awful piece of crap I've ever seen.**

**A big thanks to Stabson, AlwaysZutarian, Ohmyyyfanfiction, Ana-DaughterofHades, babyvfan, Lady Zutara, and Ms.K216 for their help and support with this story.**

**If any of you likes Law &amp; Order: SVU be sure to check out my stories Prey, Countdown, and From the Ashes.**

**Enjoy and Review :)**

**Hope Is Eternal**

A Story by The Congressman

Prologue Part One: End of Hope

A stiff breeze whipped out from the vast expanse of tundra behind the cragged, snowcapped mountains that rose from the ice right near the coast. To Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe the white and black outcrops, barely poking out of the massive ice cap that covered the southern continent, provided the best cover for recon missions such as this one.

"What kind of ship is that?" asked Bato, Hakoda's best friend and second in command. "Isn't one of the usual patrol corvettes the fire fuckers usually send down here."

Lifting the Marius spyglass he acquired in an Earth Kingdom market two years before (the irony wasn't lost on him that he was using a Fire Nation product to spy on the Fire Nation), Hakoda zeroed in on the black, streamlined shape several miles out from the edge of the glacier. Even in the winter darkness it was visible due to the flicker of the many gaslights. "Nope, clearly a frigate at least. Could be one of their _Agni_-class battle-ironclads."

"I thought those bastards traveled in fleets?"

The thirty year old chief looked at his friend. "What could they think they have to fear from us?" Bato rolled his eyes, the two friends sharing a smirk. Apart from five sailing sloops that were more hybrid, jack of all trades ships than anything else, the Southern Water Tribe couldn't challenge even a lone Fire Navy behemoth and Hakoda knew it. In this case though… "The Fire Nation would never send in a lone ship to attack, even one of those monsters. Even the raids have at least three ships, may Tui and La damn them." The Fire Nation was unmatched at sea and strong on land. Some hoped that the Avatar would return and help end the war but Hakoda doubted it. While he didn't trust Fire Nation propaganda, it said the Avatar had been killed while in the avatar state; having been absent for decades Hakoda was inclined to believe the story. "Nothing more we can really do."

"True," Bato grudgingly agreed. The man had, as of yet, no children and was much more gung ho about hitting back at the bastards who were bent on conquering the world. "I wish we could do something though."

Hakoda, smiling at his friend, knew better than to be reckless. Sure in his impulsive youth he had his share of brawls with drunken settlers, Latin-Semite traders, or even his own tribesmen but marriage and becoming the father to a boisterous son changed his perspective. Looking at Kya and two-year old Sokka made him realize that above all he needed to stay alive, for their sake.

'And now I have one more coming any day now.' The thought put a grin on his face.

Both tribesmen reaching their wolf-hound drawn sleds, another gust of wind came full bore, chilling Hakoda even through his thick fur parka. The antarctic chill was common for so near the winter solstice, but for some reason the blizzards that accompanied it had dissipated last week. The sky was clear, the twinkle of stars and the orb of the full moon rising over the tundra adding to the surreal effect. Kanna, his mother and the resident elder of the tribe said this was a prelude to something big happening, a good omen but Hakoda didn't give it a second thought. 'What big event could possibly happen here?' He loved his home with the fierce patriotism of any Water Tribe warrior but even he could acknowledge the remoteness of it.

While the tribe had a total population of around 6,000, after the devastating assaults conducted by Fire Lord Azulon when he ascended the throne many decades ago (the ones that eliminated all the waterbenders), the chief at the time dispersed the tribe to several villages in the hope that if one was taken the others would survive. Hakoda's home, the remnants of the once bustling frontier capital had at most a thousand people, the main artery of supplies and food for the outlying and inland satellite settlements; pulling up to the thick packed snow wall, a spear armed sentry quickly opened the iron gate (an expensive import from the Earth Kingdom).

Waving a goodbye to his friend, Hakoda hitched his rucksack and headed for the center of the village. The tribal meeting hall was the largest structure in the entire south pole, but that wasn't saying much. The original multi-story structure had been destroyed in a Fire Nation raid three decades before, and the resulting ice-block one room building could fit around fifty people, enough for important meetings among the elders but no more. Being the chief, Hakoda and his family lived in the two-room igloo at the back, a luxury for the tribe.

"Daddy, daddy!" As quick as a short-faced cheetah, Hakoda was caught unawares as a blue bundle clung to his leg. "Hi daddy," said Sokka, the two-year old's toothy grin in full display.

Laughing joyously, the chief lifted his son into his arms. "Hey there buddy. How's my big boy doing? Getting good with your weapon?" he smirked, referring to the toy boomerang in the toddler's hands. At Sokka's nod he laughed some more. "What are you doing outside though?"

"Gran Gran sent me out." The boy grimaced. "Mama loud." He mimed clamping his hands over his ears.

Before Hakoda could inquire further a loud scream erupted from inside the igloo. "Kya!" he yelled, eyes widening. Setting his son down he burst in to find his wife. "What's going on mother?" he asked when the older woman exited the back room.

"The baby's coming," she replied.

ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK

"Mama! Mama up!" the raven-haired two-year old babbled, running over to the seated figure and reaching up with his tiny arms.

Princess Ursa's heart melted at the sight of her little boy, smiling as she reached down carefully to pick him up and set him beside her on the plush couch. "Ooh, you are getting heavy Zuko."

The young Prince Zuko, fourth in line of the Fire Nation throne, beamed and clapped his hands together. "Me big boy!" he squealed happily.

"Oh really?" Ursa asked, cocking an eyebrow. Without warning she pounced, tickling his sides. "Then how can I still do this my son?"

Giggling happily, Zuko squirmed under his mother's grasp. "Mama, hehehehe, stop, hehehe…" Laughing as well, Ursa took mercy on her poor boy and ceased the assault. Now free, Zuko wrapped his tiny arms around his beloved mother. "Wuv you mama."

"I love you too Zuko. Never forget that," she replied, a happy tear slipping down her cheek. "Ooh." A small thump on her stomach reminded her they were not alone.

Sensing his mother's gaze drifting down to her belly, Zuko detangled his arms and placed both hands on it. "Zula?" he asked, eyes widening in amazement when there was another thump.

Nodding, Ursa loved the sight of her son feeling her eight month pregnant belly. "Yes my son, that's your sister in there." She didn't know why but he knew that the baby in her womb was a girl; while Azula hadn't been her choice in name (her husband had wanted to name their second child after his father, the Fire Lord, so as to wrangle a military command out of him), Ursa loved the little one growing inside her immediately, same as with her son. "Are you ready to be a big brother?"

"Yep!" Zuko announced gleefully, putting his hands on her belly once more. "Hear that Zula? I's your big brudder. Wuv you." He placed a kiss on the bump.

'Oh my son,' Ursa thought, patting his shaggy hair. He was so much like her and his Uncle, the crown prince. While she would never say so out loud, the princess was glad he didn't take after his father. Even though their three year marriage had been an arranged one, the young noblewoman had been quite taken by the dashing Prince Ozai, eight years her senior. For the first year he had been aloof and brooding but rather pleasant, happy as she was when Zuko was born. However, that all changed after he returned from a deep-raiding mission into the Earth Kingdom; now he was cold to both her, the new baby inside her, and Zuko, as if he had made a pledge to be that way.

Ursa sighed unhappily; this sailing trip around the world had been her idea, try and get Ozai and the family closer together before she gave birth, but so far it had been a disaster. The day before they left Fire Lord Azulon denied Ozai's third request for a military command when the army resumed hostilities as planned next year, and he had been moody, sullen, and occasionally enraged the whole time. It took all her strength and skill to keep her precious Zuko away from it.

A slight rapping on the metal door of her cabin startled the mother and son, but with the grace of her title Ursa quickly composed herself. "Enter," she called out in a precise tone.

In came a tall, well-muscled Army officer, clad in full armor but with head bare. "My Lady," bowed Colonel Lucius Dora, military aide to her husband and honorary member of the Imperial Guards Brigade.

The princess smiled at her childhood friend (she and the five year older Dora had grown up together). "Good evening Colonel. It is a pleasure to receive your company." Bowing again, Dora winked at her which made her chuckle; the official protocol had to be followed now that she was a royal after all.

Standing tall, Dora was well known as the boy wonder in the Fire Army, having lead some of the deepest penetration raids ever attempted (rumor was that the focale around his neck had been King Bumi's, stolen from inside Omashu itself). In short, he was the epitome of a Fire Nation nobleman, except for one glaring fact. His eyes were hazel, not golden or brown; his skin was a darker shade of pink, not alabaster with a hint of peach; and his hair, instead of raven black was a dark blonde.

Dora was a Latin-Semite, the minority group indigenous to the Fire Continent. They had an empire long before in ancient times until the Fire Nation absorbed it in the Unification Wars. It had been Fire Lord Sozin that fully integrated them into the Fire Nation society (though the industrious non-benders had done pretty well for themselves), and with his intelligence and noble background Dora had come far.

"It is always good to see you Lady Ursa. I trust you and the Prince are resting comfortably as night approaches?"

"Oh don't worry Lucius, we are just fine." Ursa smiled, "Aren't we Zuko."

"Yes," said the young prince, fiery and fearless just like his Uncle and great-grandfathers.

Dora laughed and kneeled in front of the boy, patting his future superior on the head. "You will make a great firebender someday sire."

The words were picked up almost immediately. "Really?" Zuko asked, eyes wide and mouth curling into an anticipatory smile.

"Of course. As a non-bender I can tell." Standing, he resumed his formal facade. "I'll tell Prince Ozai his family is safe then. Goodnight my Lady, my Prince." Turning, Dora exited the compartment, the door latch clicking shut.

All her problems coming back in full force, Ursa frowned. In her twenty-one years she had been through what most girls her age and status never could; however, when she looked back down at her son, giggling as his sister kicked at the hand resting on her belly, Ursa knew that they made all of it worth enduring.

Without warning, Zuko found himself enveloped in a hug. "Mama?" he asked questioningly.

"Oh my baby boy," she cooed, hugging him tighter. "No matter what, I want you and your sister to remember that mama will always love you." The boy nuzzled against his mother, feeling soothed but too young to fully grasp her words.

ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK

The grin on Lucius Dora's face disappeared when he spotted the lone figure staring at the ocean. Sighing, he straightened his back and approached. "Princess Ursa and Prince Zuko are both alright, comfortable in their cabin sire."

Prince Ozai, scion of the Agni Dynasty and the second son of Fire Lord Azulon, nodded his acknowledgement. Continuing to stare into the fog in his informal military redcoat with the royal gold/purple trim, no other sound came out of him; he had been this way the entire trip, when he wasn't in rage-filled firebending bouts with the crew.

Feeling uncomfortable with the silence, Dora began to muse (though thinking carefully about each of his words). "Ominous isn't it?" Both the Latin-Semites and the Fire People were deeply spiritual, and with that came superstition (some Fire Lords were known never to travel anywhere without a Fire Sage and an Augur to interpret different events). "A cloudless night and a full moon at this time of year, yet also fog. The Creator must be planning something important for us." Unlike the rest of the world, those in the Fire Nation practiced a form of hybrid monotheism, combining the Latin-Semite Creator with their own spirits.

Ozai snorted. "If the Creator or Agni were Colonel, then why didn't they give me my command?" It was no secret to anyone in the military or the palace hierarchy that Ozai and his father were not on the best of terms. While Iroh was officially the crown prince, during times of war it was not uncommon for hierarchy to be jettisoned; it was no secret that the young Prince was eager to supplant his older brother for the throne. Ozai however needed to prove himself, and the position of Home Minister was not the answer. He had petitioned his father for a military command three times, and three times he had been denied.

"Damn this fog!" Ozai hissed, the anger starting to bubble up again and his blood up and itching for a fight. "If the shit-addled water peasants attack we need to see them coming!"

Just as Dora was about to reassure his Prince of their safety the fog abruptly lifted, the sea returning to its serene quality under the moon and stars. Dora may have smiled if not for what lay ahead; directly in the path of the _Comet's Fury_ was a massive iceberg, very close. "Son of a bitch," he breathed, stunned.

"Do something Dora!" Ozai hissed, not fazed in the slightest.

Dashing to the bell on the forecastle, Dora created three sharp rings that resonated through the calm night. "ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD!"

The duty officer on the bridge heart the rings and gazed ahead, eyes widening as he spotted the iceberg. "Shit! Hard starboard!" he screamed, the process waking Commander Hideki Zhao from his catnap.

Storming out of his cabin behind the bridge, Zhao quickly took over. "Full astern!" he hollered to one of the sailors, transmitting the message to the engine room via the controls. "Move you bastard," he cursed.

It was not to be. To move a ship over 400 feet long and weighing 12,000 tons while traveling at nearly fourteen knots took time and distance, both in short supply that night. The iceberg was just too close.

Realizing this, Dora quickly jerked the Prince back. "Brace yourself sire," he said, clutching at whatever he could.

The pointed bow of the _Comet's Fury_ crashed directly into the massive wall of ice, the sickening crunch of metal and cracking of frozen water piercing the din. Both men, along with many on the ship, were thrown against the deck. Ozai was about to curse when something caught his eye.

The massive ironclad, apart from a nasty smashed bow, was otherwise unharmed. The same couldn't be said for the iceberg; the ship's bow had slammed into the iceberg like a wedge, driving a crack through the center that spread rapidly. While this could be foreseen, what couldn't was the ethereal blue glow that emanated from the cracks. The Prince staring in wonder, a huge pillar of blue light shot up into the sky forcing him to cover his eyes.

Just before the light disappeared and the ship's engines finally began to pull it backward, a small figure whose eyes glowed pure white emerged from the ice, stood there momentarily, and finally toppled forward to roll onto the metal deck.

As Ozai rose to inspect this new development, Dora shouted to the bridge, "All stop!" The ship's anchor dropped only a few seconds later, the massive ironclad shuddering to a stop. The officer wished he had his canteen, throat sore from yelling. They really needed a better way to communicate faster; if he survived this Dora vowed to talk to the Marius Company engineers about it when they got back home.

Stepping slowly, almost as in a daze, Ozai reached the front of the forecastle. Chunks of ice and twisted sheets of metal were strewn everywhere, but his eyes zeroed in on the figure curled up on the deck. The person was clearly male, twelve or thirteen from the size. The glowing eyes were still what got him; only one individual had glowing eyes, but the Creator could never be that benevolent to him.

The boy started the shift. Lighting a flame in his palm, the orange and yellow outfit and blue arrow tattoo illuminated. "An Airbender," he murmured, a malignant grin spreading on his face. _Agni be praised! _

Watching from about twenty feet away, Dora heard the sharp clatter of naval boots on the deck. "What the hell happened?" Zhao asked, clad in nothing but a parka over his officer tunic.

Dora rolled his eyes. "We hit an iceberg Zhao. An iceberg is a large, floating chunk of ice…"

"I know what an iceberg is you _Tanka _bastard!" Zhao snarled, Dora suppressing a grin at the man's use of the common Firebender slur for Latin-Semites (it translated roughly as oiler, referring to how they ate bread with olive oil). Zhao hated Dora and the feeling was mutual; the naval officer had all the arrogance of the top nobility while the son of a new man, an admiral who rose up the ranks and married a minor noble's daughter. _Arrogant cunnus. _He thought bitterly, though it amused him when he irritated the sideburned asshole.

"Dora! Zhao! Get over here you fools!" shouted Ozai, the two of them rushing to his side. "I want you to witness this." The prince turned to the boy, kneeling over him. "Boy," he said in a soft voice, one neither officer could imagine could come from him. "Are you alright?"

The boy groaned, shifting a bit as he turned and looked up, eyes fluttering open but then opening wide. "Who are you?" he asked wearily, as any twelve year old would when confronted with a stranger.

Hiding his predatory glee, Ozai smiled warmly. "I'm the Prince of the Fire Nation. You are in a safe place young…"

"Aang, my name is Aang." The young monk said brightly, happy to find someone nice after however long he had been in that… Hell, he wasn't even sure of what happened.

Dora and Zhao forgot their animosity, staring blindly at each other. To anyone high up in the Fire Nation the historical reports from Operation Sentinel 85 years before were required reading, so all knew that name. The avatar? Here? Impossible!

If they knew it so did Ozai, but he needed it confirmed. "Tell me young child, are you the avatar?"

Aang's bright smile dimmed, suddenly nervous. "Uh, why do you ask?"

"We received a distress call from the Southern Air Temple," he lied effortlessly. "I had my personal ship out searching for you by request of Lama Sangluk and Chief Monk Gyatso." Ozai was now glad he had been paying attention to his history tutor as a child. "They seemed quite beside themselves with worry."

Hearing the name of his surrogate father tore at Aang's heartstrings. 'He must be terrified.' "I didn't mean to worry them," he mused. Biting his lip he nodded at Ozai. "Yes, I'm the Avatar."

The facade lifted, the evil smirk emerging. This was the moment, the answer to his problems. "Perfect," Ozai said menacingly, lighting his palm with a red-hot flame.

Eyes widening, Aang darted out of the way with his Airbender reflexes, a flaming fist smashing into the metal where his head had been. The danger signal Gyatso had ingrained in him when he was eleven served him well. He sprang to his feet, dodging and weaving with his quick feet as the bearded firebender shot two quick flames at him, one close enough to singe his _gho_.

"Get back here you little brat!" Ozai snarled, shooting a long torrent of fire at the young avatar. When Aang leapt out of the way once more, he sent a gust of air which nearly knocked Ozai off his feet. "Don't just stand there you fools!" he hissed at the two officers. "Kill him!"

Knowing he was no good at long range, Dora hung back with a hand on his rapier while Zhao yelled a guttural battle cry and leapt forward, hands blazing. A well-aimed fireball erupted out of his foot and sailed towards the boy, impacting him square on the chest.

Aang began to topple to the deck, but right before he hit the metal his eyes began to glow once more, a massive gust of wind knocking all three men back several feet. 'Fuck,' Ozai cursed inwardly; the avatar state was said to be the most powerful display of force any mortal could deliver. However, he wasn't about to back down, not when his salvation was so close. Taking the stance, sparks of electricity appeared on his fingers, lightning crackling.

Consumed by the spirit inside of him, Aang directed a powerful gust of air to swirl around him, preparing to strike down his tormentors.

Acting on pure self-preservation, both for himself and his superior, Dora withdrew his weapon and leveled it at the thundering avatar. A sharp crack sounded through the din; the weapon, dubbed a pistol by the inventor at Servilius-Komatsu, launched a small lead ball at whatever its handler aimed at.

The round slammed directly into the avatar's shoulder, a sickening wet slap knocking Aang off balance. The short window allowed Ozai to aim his lightning, the crackling blue-white bolts shooting out and striking the young boy's chest dead center on the heart. A huge, evil grin formed on his face as the avatar plummeted to the ground, hitting the deck and not moving afterward.

As a detachment of Fire Marines scrambled out of the lower deck at the racket, a loud bellow sounded from the now cracked open iceberg. All heads swerved to see a massive form, clearly the size of one of the dragons of the past but bulkier, emerge and stare at the ship. "Fire on the beast!" ordered Zhao, the marines hurling gouts of flame at the chunk of ice. The beast bellowed again and sailed into the air, flying as fast as it could away from the threat. "Follow it!"

"Forget the thing Commander," Ozai countered, finally feeling contented. Years or being marginalized by his father for his so-called zeal for terror, everything going to his weak brother instead was now over. Fire Lord Azulon would never deny him the command now, not after killing the avatar in front of Zhao and Dora (both with massive connections in the nobility).

"Shall I move the body somewhere sire?" Dora asked; inside he was apprehensive, for if he knew the Fire Nation political system (and he did) there were going to be some massive shocks.

"Get the corpse to the ship's freezer and set a course for Crater City. My father will be very grateful to see this," Ozai grinned. Standing tall and smiling, the prince left the forecastle and headed for the superstructure. The best part of it was, by killing him in the avatar state the cycle was broken. Nothing could stand in his way now.

Just as the marines began to advance on the now smoldering body, Aang lost the glow on his tattoo, grey eyes staring upward at the sky. In the distance he could see the shape of his beloved companion sailing away into the darkness. "Go on buddy," he murmured as the life slowly ebbed away from him. "Be free." His eyes closed for the last time.

ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK

The spirit, invisible to mortal eyes, quickly left the now lifeless body of her host. She was an ancient one, tasked long ago to leave the realm of the creator and assume the role of guardian of the mortals. In that respect she had lived through many hosts, and came to love each and every one; if she had been human a tear would have been shed over the tragedy that was the little boy's short yet immensely long life, but there was no time. A new host had to be found and quickly.

Suddenly, a heavenly beam of light shone, only visible to the spirit. It centered on a small point not too far away, nestled in the ice and snow of the Southern Continent. Racing to the light, the spirit entered the being chosen for her just as the being took their first breath.

ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK

A sharp wail startled Hakoda out of his petrified daze, a worried glance centered at the fur divider separating him from his wife. Seconds passed interminably before his mother exited, looking worn but with a genuine smile on her face. "Well?" Hakoda asked, sounding like a frightened child.

Kanna chuckled at her son, remembering those days well. In a sense he was still a boy at heart, and Sokka was just like him. "Kaya is fine son, and so is your daughter."

"My… My daughter?" Rising, the tall chief made his way into the room. The midwives backing away from the bed (as the chief he was allowed such a luxury, one of the few he partook in), he was now faced with the love of his life, a tiny bundle wrapped in furs nestled in her arms.

Weak from the ordeal, Kya still had enough strength to smile. "Honey, come meet Katara."

Thinking this must be some dream, Hakoda feebly made his way to her bedside. His wife handed him the bundle, the tiny girl inside shifting at the new touch. "Katara," he murmured, stroking his newborn daughter's face. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Born on the night of a full moon too."

"Good luck," Kya said, beaming through tired eyes.

"Mama." Both parents looked to see little Sokka standing in the doorway.

"Hi my baby boy," the exhausted mother cooed. "Come meet your sister."

"Sister?" he asked inquisitively, toddling forward to look at the now sleeping infant back in her mother's arms. "I a big brudder?"

"Yes Sokka, you are," Hakoda said with a grin, patting him on the back.

Looking back at baby Katara, Sokka tapped her nose with his finger, watching her gurgle a bit and wriggle around. "You here that sister, I's your brudder now. I's will protect you."

"That's my boy," Kya murmured, looking once more at Katara through her half-closed eyes. Seeing such a beautiful, innocent face in a world of horrors, it gave her hope.

**A/N: Show of hands, how many of you expected that at the end?**

**I know that it hasn't been a common theme but that's what made me fall in love with it. It's so unique and I'd love to explore how Katara's character handled it.**

**About the size of the Southern Water Tribe. The way they portrayed it would never have happened since the tribe was so small. They would have been inbreeded out long before. I basically made it the size of Colonial Boston in 1650.**

**I hope you liked how I put two ethnic groups in the Fire Nation. I'd think it adds a cultural dimension to everything; the way I see it the order of the nations' cultures go like this: Fire Nation – Japanese (with the Latin-Semites adding a Roman/western aspect); Earth Kingdom – Chinese with some aspects of western aristocracies; Water Tribes – Inuit but more like Victorian England in the north and the American Frontier in the south.**

**Just to point out, yes, the weapon Dora had is a gun. It strikes me as odd that no nation ever invented them in the show (part of my realistic expansion). From watching the episodes I've found that the ranker non-benders are largely cannon fodder for the bender troops (aside from elites like the Yu Yan, Blue Spirit, Piandao, and Freedom Fighters). I'd think the Fire Nation would go all out to equalize the advantage. These, bear in mind, are single shot muskets and will not diminish the overall atmosphere of the show. As an amateur military history buff I'll have a lot of fun writing the tactics to include firearms and bending.**

**If you would like me to explain anything further feel free to PM any questions. I'm always open to talk :)**

**In any case, I hope you enjoyed the prologue. There will be two more and then the main story will begin. **

**Please review.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	2. Prologue: Sound of Thunder

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry for the long wait but exams have gotten to me.**

**I have decided to split this chapter into two parts for length reasons, plus I'll be able to update faster in that case. **

**I'd like to clarify a few things: One, about my OC he will play a certain role but since I needed him to set the stage of the story in the previous chapter he received a bit more time that he should have. Trust me, the main characters will be the focus of this story.**

**About the Latin-Semites, I know the show is Asiatic in nature and I respect that and have kept it, but think of it as a society that formed completely isolated from all others, sort of like the American Indians. They were absorbed by the Fire Nation and provide a nice culture shock. Also, their existence plays a role into why the Fire Nation ultimately decided to break the Avatar "Balance" cycle and invade the other nations.**

**One more thing, in this fic I do not consider LoK as cannon. The show is fine (only watched the first two seasons before I lost interest) but is not my cup of tea, so I will only view Avatar: TLA as a standalone show.**

**This story has experienced a flood of support recently and to all of you who liked the story and left nice reviews or PMs I thank you. However, several persons left flame reviews calling me a Nazi, a racist, and a horrible writer for what purpose I don't know. To these trolls I have a message for you: IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEN DON'T READ! Doing otherwise is the epitome of crass behavior. People like you are why many creative people stop writing.**

**Sorry about the rant everyone. Had to get that out of my system.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. If I did do you think I'd be writing about it? Lol.**

**This chapter is for Lady Zutara. Be sure to check out her AU Zutara story Twisted :)**

Prologue Part Two: A Sound of Thunder

'Calm yourself Zuko,' the six-year old prince thought, remembering his uncle's teachings. Clad in a red-brown childhood tunic, he closed his eyes and blocked out the rest of the world. 'Breathe, just breathe.' Firebending was in the breath as Uncle always said; his impatience always screwed up the basic move drilled into him, the force stance, and Zuko was determined to master it by the time his father returned from battle.

'Hold steady, strengthen your root.' Zuko anchored his feet to the ground, drawing in a deep breath and shooting his open palm forward. A small ball of bright orange-red flame emerged, careening through the air of the royal training courtyard. A boyish grin broke across the young prince's face before he willed himself to be impassive once more. 'Calm Zuko, calm,' Uncle's words resonated in his head. 'Use your power and rage, don't let it consume you.'

Stepping forward firmly, he sent fireball after fireball, everything shaping up to be a perfect Force Stance. Right as he reached the kill strike however, his eyes caught sight of a small ball of blue fire streaking towards his chest. Jerking back, Zuko lost his footing and fell on his butt.

"Hehehehehehe." Zuko's head turned to the sound, finding it came from a fiery bundle of deviousness with black hair. "You funny Zuzu," the four-year old Princess Azula giggled, driving great amusement from teasing her older brother.

Zuko's teeth clenched in anger. He had just perfected the Force Stance at six when miss goody-goody firebending prodigy ruined it. "Zula!" he yelled. "You are nothing but a pest! I have had it up to here with you," Zuko snarled in a loud and ferocious tone, tapping into his temper. "Why don't you just jump in the Inland Sea and leave me ALONE!"

In his anger, he hadn't noticed the look of stunned surprise on his sister's face. The little four-year old loved teasing her brother, but usually he'd whine and shout in frustration, never vicious as now. Azula was slightly scared of him. He was slightly stunned upon realizing she was scared of him; it made him a bit guilty.

"Zuko, Zula, where are you?" The soothing voice of their mother calmed both young royals, though Azula was still a bit scared while Zuko was both guilty and irritated. Out from behind a column came the beautiful Princess Ursa, radiant in her light red dress and hair down from the usual topknot. "There you are…" she cocked an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" A mother knew her kids.

Not wasting any time Azula darted to her mother, burying herself in Ursa's dress. "Mommy, Zuzu yelled at me," she cried.

"Zuko? My boy, can't be." At the guilty look on his face she knew Azula was telling the truth.

Darting forward, Zuko was determined to explain himself. "She started it mom! I was about to make a perfect Force Stance when Miss Prodigy sent a blue fireball at me! How is that fair?"

Ursa sighed; Zuko's jealously over Azula's skills and Azula's tendency to tease her brother to distraction were fine now while they were young, but when their father returned and they grew up it could be dangerous. She had to stamp it out. "Zuko, you should have controlled your temper. I'm disappointed that you yelled at your sister."

Azula grinned and stuck a tongue at her brother.

"And Azula," Ursa continued, wiping the grin of her face. "When your brother is practicing firebending you need to respect him and not mess up his forms. What you did was cruel." She fixed her gaze to the floor, guilty as well.

"You two are both my children, so therefore you will love and respect each other. Now, hug and apologize, both of you."

A bit hesitant at first (the pride of the royal bloodline still strong and stubborn), each finally gave in to their mother's stern glare and complied. "Sorry Zula," Zuko whispered.

"Sorry Zuzu," the princess replied; though Zuko was irritated by the nickname as always he figured Azula apologizing was good enough for him.

Ursa's glare melted into a smile as she watched her precious children. "That's much better."

"I agree," a jovial voice came from behind her.

"Uncle!" both children squealed, running over to the smiling Crown Prince and retired General.

"Oof," he said as the two royals barreled into him. "As much as I love you my niece and nephew, be careful. I'll drop the tray." Noticing he had a tray of goodies in his hand, the kids darted back with anticipatory smiles on their faces. "For us Ursa, some steaming ginseng tea. For the children, some cookies the cooks won't be missing." He tipped them a wink.

As Zuko and Azula happily gobbled up their treats, Ursa stepped forward and took the teacup from her brother-in-law. Since his wife died a few years before she and him had become fast friends; while Ozai resented his older sibling (Iroh had been 12 when Ozai was born) the reverse was not true. Despite being supplanted by his brother as commander of the 1st Area Army assaulting Ba Sing Se Iroh was not bitter, instead accepting his new task as uncle and Home Minister (he viewed his duties in that order) with his usual joviality and gusto. "You spoil the children Iroh."

"Nonsense. The little ones need to know that with this discipline that we still love them unconditionally. I raised Lu Ten that way and look how he turned out."

"True."

"So children," Iroh said, sitting down on a bench, "What is going on in your lives?"

"I mastered the Force Stance," Zuko exclaimed proudly, trying to look proud and dignified though at six it was just cute.

"Good for you Prince Zuko," Iroh beamed. "With proper determination and practice you will be a master before you know it."

"I can bend blue fire," Azula piped up, not one to be undone; she loved her Uncle's attention as much as her brother.

"My, my, my," Iroh sighed. "Not many firebenders can bend blue fire Princess Azula. It is a great skill that you must learn to master as quickly as possible, lest it get out of control."

"Ok," she murmured. Uncle was always coming out with complicated advice that she just couldn't fathom as of yet. Eh, she loved him anyway.

Chuckling, Iroh withdrew a scroll from his sleeve. "Children, this morning I received a letter from Lu Ten."

Zuko and Azula reacted just as he predicted, both running over with wide eyes. They loved their older cousin, who was fighting at Ba Sing Se with their hero father. "What did he say? Are he and father whooping the Earth Bandits?" Zuko asked, borrowing a propaganda phrase.

"Daddy will crush the Earth Peasants Zuzu," Azula stated with conviction, borrowing another phrase in common use. Both children thought their father as the greatest hero in the history of the Fire Nation and the Latin-Semite republic that it absorbed nearly four centuries before.

Though it concerned Ursa and Iroh (Zuko and Azula were in for a lot of pain when Ozai returned) they had agreed to deal with it when the time came. "No, I would never start to read it unless we could do it together." Breaking the seal, the children listening with rapt attention, Iroh unfurled the scroll and began.

"Dear family, I am doing well as can be. I would much rather be home, even if it would mean sitting by a Pai Sho board and drinking every new flavor of tea father has probably imported." Iroh guffawed at the joke, Ursa laughing merrily as well. The Prince had his father pegged perfectly.

"Though I am but a mid-level infantry officer, my royal blood allows me access to the command tent; General Dora, General Shinu, General Fong, General Fabius, and General Kaneda wish for a siege operation to starve out the city but Uncle Ozai overruled them and there will be a frontal assault instead." Iroh paused; that was classic ambitious Ozai, for a grand assault if successful would make him the greatest war hero since the Second Latin War a millennia ago.

"On the naval front Admiral Zhao thinks the Earth Kingdom will be breaking out of Chameleon Bay with their Water Tribe allies any day now. Dora isn't worried, not with the four new _Phoenix_-class gun ironclads in the fleet or so he says.

"Other than that, I am fine. My unit was given the honor of charging through the wall first, and for that I am grateful to the Creator and Agni. Please say a prayer for me and for the success of the Fire Nation, for if Ba Sing Se falls then victory is at hand.

"All my love, Lu Ten."

While Zuko and Azula were chattering about their cousin and hero father finally vanquishing the Earth Kingdom stronghold of Ba Sing Se just like with Omashu a year before, a shudder passed through Iroh's body. A storm was coming, he could feel it in his bones.

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"Regiment, Shoulder Arms!" The sound resonated through the air as thousands of muskets, their barrels gleaming in the sun, were shouldered for the coming march. Drawing his sword and placing it at the ready, Lieutenant Lu Ten, Prince of the Fire Nation and son of Crown Prince Iroh, wished not for the first time since receiving his officer's commission that he was a waterbender. While being a firebender allowed one to warm up in the cold winter months, in the searing heat of the plain outside the Wall of Ba Sing Se the ability of the Water Tribesmen to cool their bodies sounded excellent to him.

Behind him a mounted officer trotted to him, the scarlet cape of a general flowing behind. "Attention!" he called out, the Regiment complying.

The general turned out to be General Dora himself, the Chief of Staff for Prince Ozai grinning widely atop his Ostrich-Lizard (the preferred mount for a Latin-Semite, as opposed to the firebender-preferred Komodo-Rhino). "Are you ready Prince?" Dora asked, despite the title used treating him as his rank dictated.

"Yes Sir!" Lu Ten replied. While originally grumbling at being a lowly infantry officer that soon changed. He figured it was Dora's intention to place him there, removing the Princely arrogance, probably at the instigation of his father; somewhere the Pai Sho playing man was grinning right now.

"Good," the General said. "You are first behind the engineers; if the route is blocked by the enemy crush them. The Battle Cars behind you have to enter unmolested."

"Copy that, but if you don't mind me asking sir, how are we going to get into the city?" Those walls had defied the Fire Nation's armies since his great-grandfather's day.

Dora grinned wolfishly. "You'll see." With that he spurred his mount and rode away.

Lu Ten hoped that his commander knew what he was doing; the whole army was spread out in a long line, soldiers, Mark I Battle Cars (one driver and a firebender), Mark II Battle Cars (sporting a small cannon), and artillery pieces formed for marching instead of the assault rows used in the Omashu campaign. Sure, the _Betsudotai_ were designed for speed the way the earlier _Kuro shikaku_ formations from before the use of firearms didn't have, but this almost seemed as if they were marching into the city instead of attacking the walls.

Those thoughts were banished when the sound of a massive sungi horn pierced the din. All eyes of the army drew to their commander, Prince Ozai. He was in full Royal armor, standing tall atop a massive bull Komodo-Rhino; Lu Ten figured he was putting on a show for the Earth Kingdom garrison as well as the 1st Area Army.

"Soldiers of Fire!" he bellowed, his harsh voice carrying across the landscape. "Today, we begin the final chapter of our destiny!

"For the longest time Ba Sing Se, the so called 'Impenetrable City,' has stood firm against our attacks. These walls stand tall before us today, mocking us; mocking the greatest army ever conceived by mankind. Tell me soldiers of Fire, do you accept that this city cannot be taken?"

"NO!" roared the entire army. Though Lu Ten wished it was his father that led this attack, even he couldn't deny Ozai's power over the soldiers. He wasn't well liked like Dora or Iroh, or even respected like Shinu or Fabius, but there was a certain majestic aura to his arrogance and fury. Unlike Zhao who was hated in the ranks, dubbed an ostrich-horse's ass by all who served under him, the Prince awed the army; his successful drive against Omashu by turning defeat after defeat into victory at the last minute won him both a name and a legend: the Phoenix.

Ozai's lips curled into a predatory smirk. "Well today soldiers of fire, today this wall finally crumbles. Today the Fire Nation will reach its rightful place in the world. WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS, OR DIE TRYING!"

Suddenly, what seemed to be the thunder from a thousand storms came from right under the great Outer Wall. A flash of brilliant light partially blinded Lu Ten and the rest of the army, soon morphing into a massive mushroom cloud that began to collapse a massive section of the Outer Wall.

"Agni," Lu Ten breathed, not the only man to do so. No wonder Dora was so smug; he must have had the engineers place copious amounts of Nitrogenized Jellied Glycerin underneath the wall via tunnels. One spark and then BOOM!

Once the cloud and the noise dissipated, nearly one hundred feet of wall nothing but rubble, General Dora raised his sword and pointed it at the city. "Forward men! For Creator, Spirit, Lord, and Country, forward!"

"URRA!" the Army shouted, surging forward. Behind the engineers (supplemented by earthbender auxiliaries detached from Fong's legions, acquired when he defected), Lu Ten cheered with his men as they marched. With the wall destroyed nothing stood in their way from defeating the Earth Kingdom Home Army; nothing stood in their way from total victory.

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"Zuzu, Zuzu," laughed Azula merrily, a devious twinkle in her eyes.

"Agni!" Zuko whined, stamping his foot; a small tendril of smoke emanating from beneath the bare skin and the ground. "Stop calling me that! Mom!"

Chuckling at the antics of her children, Ursa leaned back against the cherry tree in the Royal Palace Garden. "Stop your bickering and enjoy the time together in the garden. Some peace and quiet between victory celebrations will do you good." Since Ozai's triumphant victory at Ba Sing Se, wiping out the Earth Kingdom Navy, blasting a hole in the Great Wall, routing the Army within the outer territory, and securing the city through a coup (the head of the secret police, one Long Feng, defected and handed Ozai the teenage King Kuei on a silver platter) Fire Lord Azulon declared three week's thanksgiving, culminating with the triumph to be held in the capitol city in a week's time.

That also meant Ozai was in the capitol; the kids were so excited to see their father after so long (the last time being a year and a half before after the fall of Omashu) and Ursa was dreading it. She knew she had to prepare them for what was likely going to happen but it broke her heart. Zuko and Azula were still babies in her eyes; they never could deserve having to be cautioned that their father, the idol they looked up to, would most likely shun them or worse.

Meanwhile, a few feet away the royal siblings began playing by the turtleduck pond. "Ooh, look Zuzu, the eggs hatch-ed." Reaching forward, they moved to scoop up one of the cute turtle-ducklings when the mother swam to them, squawking and snapping her bill. Azula fell back and sprained her back while Zuko received a painful snap on the finger.

"Ow!" the prince exclaimed. "Mean old vermin," he muttered.

"Meanie," Azula repeated, remaining defiant. Both royals refused to cry for it was unroyal; their hero father wouldn't want them too.

"Oh my children," Ursa cooed, bringing them into her arms. "That's just what a mother does; she protects her babies no matter what." Zuko and Azula relaxed in her embrace, both of them never feeling happier than when their mother hugged them. "Well, except when they have to be tickled." Without warning she began hitting their sensitive areas with tickles, causing each to squeal.

"Mom, stop," they both stammered.

"I think you've learned your lesson, so go and enjoy the sun." Both little firebenders ran off happily, Ursa drawing back to the entrance and smiling. However, a sudden clang of the doors made her turn her head.

Entering the courtyard adjacent to the garden, the victors of Ba Sing Se made their way to the throne room for their audience with Fire Lord Azulon. Ursa looked at each of them, shocked that they were here so soon yet not showing it; Lucius was standing tall and dignified, though there was a hint of worry in his eyes. Zhao was the complete opposite, the epitome of prideful arrogance, a superior sneer on his face as he headed to his likely glory.

Ozai however, the Prince's demeanor made Ursa realize what worried her friend. The normally impassive face was only slightly changed, but she could notice those changes. A small curve of the lips, a dark twinkle in his eye; Ozai was planning something, something big.

As the three men reached her at the entranceway to the garden, Ursa bowed. "Husband."

Stopping for a moment, Ozai acknowledged her with an absentminded nod and continued walking, Zhao behind him leering suggestively at her. Bringing up the rear, Dora sent her a sympathetic smile, a good friend to her no matter what. Knowing his moods Ursa let out a breath, thanking Agni that this went better than it could have…

"Father!"

Ursa's head looked to the sound of the noise and her eyes widened. 'No.'

His six-year old self bursting with happiness at seeing his father, the hero of the Fire Nation, Zuko abruptly ran through another entrance and stood in front of the startled Prince. "Hi Father," he said in precise words, looking up in awe at his idol and his head bursting with questions about the grand battle that finished the once mighty Earth Kingdom. "I'm so happy you're back! Is it true the Walls of Ba Sing Se are a mile tall?"

Instead of a smile like Iroh always gave him, Ozai's lips curled into a look of disgust, as if the young boy was beneath his contempt. "Out of my way boy!" he snarled, briskly shoving Zuko out of the way. The young Prince was too shocked to respond.

Just as Ursa felt this couldn't get any worse, it did. "Daddy, daddy." Little Azula, oblivious to what had just happened with her brother, ran up to Ozai and hugged his leg. "I wanna show you something!" she chirped excitedly.

Ozai seemed even angrier now than he had with Zuko. "Back away foolish girl!" he shouted.

Unfortunately for her, the little girl was as stubborn and determined as any of the royal dynasty. "But daddy, I can bend blue fire!"

"I said back away!" Sailing through the air, Ozai backhanded his daughter; Azula stumbled to the floor, a bright red welt on her cheek. Not even paying his children a second thought, Ozai resumed his journey to the throne room.

Azula's eyes welling with tears from the pain, Zhao laughed at her. "Stupid girl," he sneered, walking after his superior.

Dora, a look of sadness on his face, wanted to comfort the children but knew it wasn't his place. Closing his eyes, he also followed his superior.

Once the men were out of sight, Zuko knelt beside Azula and hugged his crying sister, tears welling in his eyes as well. How could their father do this? He was their hero; they thought he loved them. Mother and Uncle did.

Rushing to her babies, Ursa drew them in a bruising embrace, willing for their pain to be absorbed by her. "Be calm my darlings," she cooed, kissing each of her trembling children on the head. "Mama is here. Mama will always love you."

Watching this from the end of the corridor, Iroh and Lu Ten watched heartbroken. Taking the initiative, he strode forward until he stood in above the three. While the children were too lost in their pain and tears, Ursa felt the shape beside her and looked up at her brother-in-law's son. "Here," Lu Ten said with a stoic but still empathetic look on his face, handing her a small package. "For my cousins." With that he walked away.

Careful not to remove her comforting embrace from her still crying babies, Ursa opened the package. Inside were two knives, both of Earth Kingdom manufacture (hand forged no less). On both were inscribed "Never give up the fight."

The next morning, the capitol awoke to the news that Fire Lord Azulon, the great conqueror and ruler for the last six decades had passed away in his sleep at the age of 81.

The next day, the Fire Council voted unanimously to crown Prince Ozai, the deceased Lord's second son as Fire Lord.

The Fire Nation was no more.

The Eternal Phoenix Empire was born.

**A/N: And there we have it, the birth of the Eternal Phoenix Empire and the rise of Ozai. Man he's a jerk. Hope you liked.**

**Before you scream "Where's Katara?" the next part of the prologue will be all about her and the Southern Water Tribe, I promise. **

**I know a lot of you think Azula is a bit OOC here, but I have to point out she's four and Iroh is the main father figure in her life with Ozai in combat.**

**I will try to keep the bending true to the show, but where the places trail off I might make it up as I go along. Remembering what Iroh discussed in the Agni Kai with Zhao and how Zuko taught Aang, I formulated the Force Stance as the most basic form. Hit or miss?**

**For the military terms, **_**Kuro shikaku **_**is Japanese for Solid Square and **_**Betsudotai **_**is Japanese for Flying Column. The former is an Avatar analog to the Tercio of the 16****th**** and 17****th**** centuries while the latter refers to the new form of combat that the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus pioneered in the Battle of Breitenfeld. **

**The Mark I and Mark II Battle Cars are analogs to the Panzer I and Panzer II of WWII, except conforming to the description in the show.**

**The Battle of Ba Sing Se draws inspiration from the Battle of the Crater in the American Civil War. I hoped you liked what I did with describing blasting jelly.**

**Stay tuned. And be sure to review :)**

**Also, I'd love to talk to anyone that want's to chat. Feel free to message me on ff or follow me on twitter. My user name there is Thecongressman22.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	3. Prologue: Conquest

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry it took so long but I've been busy with graduation and all. I'm all settled in now and here is the new update :)**

**As promised last time focused on Zuko so now we head to Katara and her issues as a little girl in the Southern Tribe.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA, though if the owners are selling…**

**This chapter is for Ohmyyyfanfiction. If you haven't read It Started at the Summer Palace, do so ASAP :)**

**Review and enjoy :)**

Prologue Part Three: Conquest

The summer sun was high in the sky, though at the South Pole that didn't really mean much when it came to determining time of day. Thanks to an imported Regulus clock kept in the tribal hall and a system of smoke signals everyone knew when an hour passed.

Looking at the black puffs coming from inside meeting hall, four year old Katara grinned; it was six in the afternoon, plenty of time to play before dinner.

Katara loved the snow, the pillowy white mounds that fell from the sky. For some reason she felt relaxed just by lying in it, letting the fine flakes crunch beneath her. She and her father would often have so much fun in the snow.

Thinking of her father brought an overwhelming sadness upon the little girl. He had been gone for nearly a year, what for Katara could not fathom. She really hadn't understood it before, and now whenever she asked her mother all she'd get in response was "He's in the north trying to protect the world," whatever that meant. There was no snow or ice in the north, and it was filled with scary firebenders like in the scary stories Sokka and his idiot friends always told her.

As if Tui and La had read her thoughts, a snowball plowed right into her cheek. "Direct hit!" Came a boyish yell from behind a nearby snowbank.

Looking up, the four-year old's face curled into a scowl. "Sokka!"

Her stupid brother appeared with a smug look on his face, not hiding the additional snowball clutched in his hands. "Hi there Missy Prissy." He cocked his hand back and tossed another snowball which caught her right in the face.

If Katara were a teapot she'd be steaming. "SOKKA!" He always did this; he always ruined her happy moments by being stupid. "I'm telling mom!"

"Ooooh, I'm so scared," Sokka mocked, throwing another ball at his prissy, uptight little sister. She was just too fun to mess around with. He readied another volley.

"Arrrgh!" Katara screamed, swiping at the air with her hands to deflect the coming snowball. However, nothing came; cracking open one eye, they widened at spotting Sokka sprawled on ground covered in snow.

Spitting out some clumps that got in his mouth, Sokka was livid. "Dumb snow!" he whined like the melodramatic six-year old he was, kicking at the embankment that had fallen over him.

"Sokka! Katara!" called their mother from their igloo. "Dinner is ready! I made your favorite." It was as if they could hear her joyous smile.

"Yay!" chanted Sokka, the snow forgotten. "Sea Prunes and Tiger Seal. Meat! Meat! Meat!" He practically charged inside, clearly one who enjoyed the simple things in life.

Katara hung back for a moment, staring intently at the fallen snow. Sure, the small bluff could have given way on its own, but it was almost as if she felt the water move deep in her bones. Pointing her hands right at the pile, she flicked them the same way as before. A small yelp escaped her lips as a few clumps rose up a few inches and then fell to earth one more. 'Did I really do that?'

"Katara," her mother called.

Shaking her head, the young girl decided to figure this out later. "Coming!" she said back, scampering to the igloo.

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Sitting on the rear of his cog, Hakoda stared northward at the massive expanse of ocean behind the ship, lost in thought. It had been a year since he left his icy home to defend the last of the Earth Kingdom from the Fire Nation, and what did he have to show for it? Ba Sing Se was lost, the Earth Navy wiped out, and three of his five ships blasted to bits along with their crews. Over three dozen Water Tribe warriors, ones that looked to his leadership and trusted him were dead, their bodies food for the lamprey-crabs at the bottom of Chameleon Bay.

The memories of that day two long months before was still vivid in his mind. They had just received word by courier of the defeat of the Earth Army by Prince Ozai, and orders from the Earth King were for the fleet to escape (before Minister for Internal Security Long Feng launched his coup). Forming up in the classic twin line formation the fleet charged the Fire Navy blockade of Chameleon Bay.

Things had initially gone well. The newest Earth Navy ships were behemoths, withstanding the initial fire from the Fire Navy trebuchets and ramming their way through the blockade, sinking several enemy ships and moving in to board the others. Paired with waterbenders from the Northern Tribe Hakoda's five ships sped forward and launched special mines to disable the huge battleships; unable the resist with such a slow rate of fire, the Fire Navy was outmatched and victory seemed at hand.

At that moment however, Hakoda remembering it as clear as the present, a plume of smoke was seen on the horizon. The Fire Navy had a reserve force which was steaming into salvage the battle so, taking the initiative, he ordered the five ships to strike them preemptively.

As they got closer each ship turned from one spot, forming a line that was perpendicular to the Earth Kingdom fleet (opposite the usual parallel tactics of the Fire Navy). It was at that point that Hakoda noticed the difference in the ships, each sporting three huge turrets and large projections from the sides.

The roar that came shattered the din, nearly rendering him deaf. Each ship sent sixteen massive shells hurtling toward the enemy fleet. One of Hakoda's cogs disintegrated before his very eyes; another had a huge chunk blasted out of it as it lay dead in the water. Glancing back to see the giant Earth Kingdom ships starting to burn, Hakoda relented and gave the order to flee. His three remaining ships had just made it out while the Fire Navy monsters (learning just recently that they were the new _Phoeni_x-class gun-ironclads: the _Phoenix, Lord Sozin, Crown Prince Zuko, Akagi, Imperator, Solomon, Fasces, _and_ Dragon of the West_) turned again and destroyed the entire Earth Kingdom fleet.

A fist slammed down on the wood in pure frustration; 51 out of the 200 warriors he took with him were dead right now, their lives sacrificed in vain to stave off a defeat that in hindsight was inevitable. IT was his responsibility as the chief of the tribe to keep them safe from harm. How was he going to tell their families that he failed?

"You can't blame yourself."

Hakoda's head swiveled to see Master Waterbender Pakku walking up to him, a sympathetic look on his normally severe face. The older man always had a knack for reading people. "I was their leader," was all he could reply.

Pakku leaned on the railing next to him; learning that their Southern Sister Tribe had sent an expeditionary force, Chief Arnook had allowed Pakku and around twenty men out of the waterbender corps to join them. After the defeat he and the others agreed to head back to the South Pole and help the others rebuild. "You had no way of knowing the Fire Nation would have a new type of ship. We were all surprised on that front." Pakku had no idea why he was so sympathetic to Hakoda, for the Master Waterbender usually wasn't; something about the man though was familiar, he couldn't explain it.

When the younger man didn't respond he continued. "While it is admirable that you care so much about your men did you force them to join you? No, they were volunteers, not Earth Kingdom levees or Fire Nation conscript soldiers before the reforms. Each man knew the risk and went to battle anyway; none of the warriors begrudge you over it and I'm certain they wouldn't either."

Looking up from the waves for the first time today, Hakoda reflected on the older man's advice. Maybe he could get over this.

"Land ho!" yelled the lookout from the top of the mast.

A wide grin formed on Hakoda's face; he was eager to see his wife and children again.

"Well, looks like we're home," said Bato, joining the other two men. "You're in luck Pakku. No one makes stewed sea prunes like Kaya and Kanna."

The Master Waterbender's eyes widened. "Kanna?"

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Katara was as happy as she could be; it had been only a few hours before when she and Sokka were playing on the huge Polar Lion fur rug in the main room, Gran Gran cooking dinner when their mother arrived with a big grin on her face. "Sokka, Tara, I have a surprise for you," she beamed.

The two siblings looked at each other skeptically, not sure of what to make of this. Normally when their mother said that it always involved a large spoonful of Elephant Koi oil to cleanse the teeth, and it tasted horrible. "Please tell me it's not the blech," Sokka blurted, using the nickname he had for the nasty stuff.

Kya giggled at her son, but both children's eyes widened when there was a booming laugh from outside the fur door. "Well little man," Hakoda said jovially as he strode into the igloo. "I'd think I'm a bit more welcome than that stuff."

"Dad!" Sokka ran into his embrace, the proud father squeezing back. "You're back!"

"I told you I would didn't I?" he responded with a joyful tear in his eye. Blinking it away, Hakoda glanced down and saw a tiny little bundle of brunette curls and wide blue eyes staring at him. "Katara? Don't you recognize daddy?"

"Daddy?" she whispered, not believing it; her father had been gone for so long and was talked about by so many people… However, at her mother's nod she squealed and leapt into his arms as well, Hakoda squeezing the life out of them.

"Did you win dad? Did you send the mean ol' Firebenders to the bottom of the sea?" Being a boy, a natural warrior, and Hakoda's son after all he was eager to hear his dad's war experiences. No one could beat his father in anything.

An image of the _Phoenix_, banners waving in the wind as her guns belched death at him and his men flashed before Hakoda's eyes. He willed it away after only a moment but Kya had noticed. "Ok kids," she intervened, "Let's get some decent home cooking in your father's belly shall we."

That's where they all ended up, sitting around the fire eating merrily, as if the war and the defeat were all a distant memory. Katara glanced at all the members of her family; mommy and daddy were laughing and snuggling up against one another. Gran Gran was talking with the bearded stranger, it seemed like they knew each other like she and her brother's friends did (well, the ones who weren't stupid heads). Her brother of course was wolfing down his meat and sea prune stew, like always; most of the time he was just plain eeeewww!

"I'm out of water dear," she then heard her father say, holding an empty glass.

She felt an urge to help out, show her daddy she was a big girl. "Here you go daddy," Katara said proudly, reaching for the ceramic pitcher filled with the liquid but when she reached for it the crockery toppled over. "EEEEP!" she said, closing her eyes expecting the water to splash on the snow and a scolding to come from her mom and Gran Gran.

However none of that happened. Opening her eyes, Katara found everyone shifting stares between her and the pitcher.

The water inside was frozen solid.

"What the?" Kya murmured, lifting the water jug. "Katara? Did you do this?"

Unable to comprehend it herself, the four year old shook her head vigorously. "No mommy no."

"Well none of us did anything," Kanna observed.

"Tara's magic!" Sokka shouted, pointing at her. "Witch!"

"Sokka," Hakoda scowled. There was good natured sibling banter but then there were things that went too far.

"Enough." All were silenced by Pakku, who stood stoically and made his way to Katara, kneeling next to her. "Are you sure you didn't do anything child?" he asked formally but with a certain warmth. When Katara shook her head again, this time on the verge of tears Pakku stopped her, taking the jug and holding it in front of her. "Relax your arms." Confused, Katara complied. "Alright, now imagine flowing water and wave your hand."

Taking a soft breath, Katara did so and felt a tingle radiate out from her arms. She opened her eyes again and found a small smirk on the older man's face.

"Hakoda," Pakku said. "Your daughter is a waterbender." In lieu of explanation he tipped the jug upside down. A steady stream of liquid water poured out of it.

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Two years later

"Our Empire is at a crossroads," High Minister Grand Admiral Zhao began, rising from his seat of honor to speak to the entire Imperial Council.

High Minister Prince Iroh wanted to retch at this arrogant _gui_. How he managed to rise alongside now _Daimyo _General Dora was beyond his understanding – unless one considered the man who now ruled the world. No one in the Eternal Phoenix Empire could afford not to, even the Emperor's brother. Sighing inwardly, he listened intently, hoping Zhao actually had a good point.

"Our navy has been victorious in every battle, sweeping aside all that dare opposes it. The fruits of Chameleon Bay that I delivered have let to the first all gun battlefleet in the history of our people."

It took all of Iroh's strength not to laugh; saying Zhao won the battle was equivalent to saying an arsonist was responsible for the beautiful new building built over the scorched ruins of the one he torched. The original patrol line had been his fault, and the Crossing the T maneuver that won the day was only due to the initiative of the executive officer on the _Phoenix _who took over when the Captain in charge suffered a heart attack on the bridge. After talking with Dora and the other officers Iroh knew the credit rested with the now Commander Jee rather than Zhao.

"However, to maintain the dominance of our fleet we need access to proper resources. The Imperial  
Navy currently runs on coal. Prince Iroh, what is the status of our coal reserves?"

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Iroh stood and recited the statistic that he as Home Minister had to know. "We have plenty of coal Zhao. The mines in Fire Commissariats Chengdu, Gaoling, and Taku are supplying our Navy and factories with everything they need."

Zhao smirked and nodded. "Thank you High Minister. As you can see our entire Navy is dependent on coal mined in heavily populated Commissariats in the former Earth Kingdom. If rebels block the flow of coal then our fleets will be without a fuel source."

"And your point Admiral?" Dora asked; as the only war hero of even greater standing, he had the right to treat Zhao like he deserved.

"My point esteemed General is that a more secure fuel source is in our grasp. I am taking about petroleum, a source that is not found in the former Earth Kingdom. It can fuel our ships far more efficiently than coal and is much easier to protect."

'So that's what this is about,' Iroh mused. A conquest of a new territory under one of Zhao's personal cronies would increase his standing in Court. It would most likely be Yan Rah, Zhao's chief of staff.

"Interesting." All in the council room averted their gaze to the floor when their sovereign spoke. "Where is this more secure fuel source Admiral?"

Bowing low, Zhao's confidence started to wane slightly; the Emperor even struck fear into his heart. "Uh, Sire." He pointed to a point on the map of the world – or rather the Imperial domains. "Here Sire, the South Pole."

His Divine Majesty, Defender of the Race, Scion of the Eternal Flame, Supreme Phoenix Emperor Ozai's lips curled upward. "Perfect."

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Stealth was key as the hunter stalked toward the prey. One false move or unwanted noise could distract the target and ruin the hunt. Just a bit closer, aaaaand…

As he sharpened his small boomerang, eight-year old Sokka never saw the large water snake that bathed him in ice cold water. "Ach! Tara!" the boy yelled. "You and your magic!"

Laughing so hard she nearly fell, the now six-year old Katara clapped her hands together. "Oh Sokka, you are so funny!" That didn't help her brother's mood.

Katara's waterbending was manifesting itself as more powerful by the day. Gramp Pakku, her step-grandfather and Waterbending Master said he had never seen such a prodigy even among all his students in the Northern Tribe. Little Katara was feeling on top of the world, even if only the family knew of her gift.

As Sokka grabbed a ball of snow to hurl back at her the falling flakes changed slightly, distracting them. The snow was black, carpeting the ground as if a vision from hell. "Black snow," whispered Sokka. Even the children of the tribe knew what it meant. The Fire Nation had come.

"Sokka! Katara!" yelled Pakku, who was close by on a walk. "Come with me!" Grabbing the two children's hands the Master Waterbender ran for his life.

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The massive guns of the _Lord Sozin_ and _Fasces_ as well as the smaller ones on the frigates and corvettes among the twenty ship fleet lobbed shell after shell at the Southern Water Tribe, though avoiding the main town. Commander Jee, mounted on his Komodo Rhino, felt the entire plan coming to fruition. The goal wasn't to kill the tribesmen or destroy the city, but to capture the town intact and prevent the population from escaping. The guns and the Mark I battlecars served to bock the escape routes into the tundra.

However, some of the younger warriors just wouldn't quit. "Make ready!" he bellowed, the front of the _Betsudotai_ readied their muskets. "Present!" The firearms were leveled, the tribesmen charging with their spears and clubs, their honor depending on it. "FIRE!"

The volley fell half the warriors, the firebender support troops finishing off the rest. "Stupid fools," Jee muttered; he wasn't a racist like many in the Imperial Officer Corps but also had a low tolerance for stupidity.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jee spotted a shadow moving amongst the battered igloos. Thinking it may have been a holdout he sent a blast of fire in the figure's general location. "Come out and you will not be harmed," he said.

Out of the ruins walked a petite Water Tribe woman, clad in a parka and with her thick brown locks in disarray. Her blue eyes were filled with pure fear. 'This woman is no threat.'

"Jee!" On his bull rhino trotted Imperial Governor Yan Rha. "Have you secured the objective?"

Bowing as much as he could on rhinoback, Jee answered his superior. "Yes sir. The tribesmen tried to frontally assault our men but we beat it back."

"Good, good." The Governor's eyes were drawn to the woman who was now being guarded by a firebender and a Latin-Semite Pretorian. He hadn't ever seen a more striking female. "Who is that?"

"She's just a tribe woman. I'll have her put with the others."

"No!" the Governor roared, leering at the now terrified Kya. "Put her in my quarters." She would certainly solve his problems quite well.

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The family was huddled together in the center of the town, guarded by heavily armed and armored Imperial soldiers. Sokka and Katara clung to their grandmother, tear lines covering the skin below their eyes. "Are you sure you haven't seen her?" Hakoda asked his stepfather.

"No, no one has since the day," Pakku replied. Kya had vanished, likely killed in the attack or worse. How was Hakoda supposed to tell the children? They adored their mother, La everyone did.

"Attention!" All looked up to see an imposing official in blood red robes with gold trim, a hardened scowl adorning his face. "People of the Southern Water Tribe. This land has now been annexed into the Eternal Phoenix Empire by decree of His Divine Majesty, Defender of the Race, Scion of the Eternal Flame, Supreme Phoenix Emperor Ozai. You are all now his subjects. Anyone who refuses to comply with that fact will be summarily burned alive."

Hakoda didn't know whether to envy his wife in her death or not.

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Chains shackling her hands and feet together, Kya trembled as the two men before her argued about her fate.

"Lucius, he had no other way to pay off his debt to me," said a brown-haired, swarthy man clad in a dark red… something. Kya remembered her husband saying the Latin-Semites of the Fire Nation wore a special garment called a… ah, toga. He was clad in a toga with gold and purple trim; he was someone important obviously.

"What is it you want me to do Yitzhak?" said a tall, blonde man in a Fire Army uniformed tunic. She had never seen a blonde before and it was slightly terrifying in her frightened state. It just emphasized she was in a foreign land against her will. 'If that hellish voyage in that metal ship wasn't enough of a reminder,' a bitter voice in her head pointed out. "I have no use for her."

"Well I don't," the other practically shouted. "I am a Servilius and therefore have a reputation of uxoriousness to uphold." The blond man rolled his eyes at that. "Can you point me to someone who can take her off my hands?"

Kya's mood sank even lower that it had been. Here were these two men talking about her like a common animal, and given that she was a captive in the Fire Nation that wasn't far from the truth. The fact her once beautiful dress was now a tattered mess of barely hanging on rags made it too much to handle.

"So you want me to ask every member of the council, Latin and firebender if they want to buy this girl from you?"

"That won't be necessary General."

At the sound of this authoritative and noble voice, Kya's head sprang up. The two men were bowing low, so this was obviously someone of importance in the Palace. "Yes your Highness?" asked the toga-clad man.

"I think this woman will fit well in my service," the voice, face hidden in a shadow, remarked. "I will pay any price, so have her escorted to my quarters General Dora."

The uniformed man, Dora, bowed once more. "At once your Highness." Kya didn't know whether to thank Tui and La or damn them.

"Count your blessings." Kya turned to stare at Dora, shocked an obvious nobleman would stoop to address a mere slave. The man's blue eyes were filled with, was it relief? "Of all the masters or mistresses you could get," he continued through her silence, "Thank the Creator it was Empress Ursa."

**A/N: Ya'll didn't really think I'd stick her with Ozai did you? That would be cruel. I'm saving my cruel points for the next chapter ;)**

**Because Katara is the Avatar I think she'd be much more a waterbending prodigy than she was in the show. I just couldn't resist having Pakku come in at this point. **

**The naval battle described was modeled by the Battle of Tsushima. I think it's fitting because the winning side was Japan. The ship names were modeled after Fire Nation, Roman, Judaic, and Japanese names. **

**I decided to use brevity for the invasion of the South Pole.**

**Next up is the big moment: Katara finds out about her destiny and the Agni Kai. I think you'll like the new storyline ;)**

**Be sure to let me know what you think :)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	4. Prologue: Burn

**A/N: Hi all. The final installment of the prologue is here. Sorry it took so long, but some personal issues kept me busy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. If I did I wouldn't be writing ff about it, haha.**

**This chapter is for Ana-Daughter of Hades. Be sure to check out her new Zutara story Falling to Pieces. It's awesome.**

**Please review, and for those of you who like the show Law and Order: SVU check out my other fics.**

**Enjoy :)**

Prologue Part Four: Burn

Eight years later

10 AI

(_Anno Phoenice_; year of the Phoenix)

"And the hunter patiently waits for his prey, taking the time for it to lower its guard so he can strike."

From the other side of the canoe Katara rolled her eyes, brushing her chocolate brown hair braid (complete with what Sokka dubbed her "hair loopies") back inside her parka. There was Sokka taking to himself again like some play announcerman. La, he was annoying. Deciding to ignore him, she began to bend her sixth fish from the icy water into the basket to her left. 'Take that hunter,' she thought with a smirk. Bending up the seventh.

Katara sighed as she continued her work, reflecting on all that had transpired since the Greater Phoenix Empire absorbed the Southern Water Tribe. On a mere subsistence level their lives had all remarkably improved. The huge oil rigs offshore turned what had been a backwater into a vital part of the Empire, and with that came massive investment. The huge influx of an entire legion of Imperial troops (the Commissariat always had at least one _Phoenix-_class ship moored in the bay as part of the Southern Naval Squadron) as well as nearly twenty thousand guest workers from across the Empire brought a guaranteed boost to the local economy. Birth rates had skyrocketed, incomes healthy, and starvation a thing of the past.

However, there was still a hole in Katara's heart. While the loss of independence and their subjugation to a brutal regime hurt, it paled in comparison to the pain in losing her mother. It hurt their entire family to be sure but Katara worst of all. It was her mother, the female role-model she most loved in the world. With having to take more responsibility and knowing even a slip of the tongue could get you immolated alive for treason against His Divine Majesty, one had to grow up quickly.

"Inching closer to the prey," Sokka continued, spotting a nice, fat ice trout, "The hunter prepares his spear. He strikes!" Raising the spear above his head to plunge it down, the shaft burst Katara's water bubble and drenched him with water. The fish inside landed on his head and writhed several seconds before falling in the water, leaving one angry fisherman. "KATARA!"

Holding her sides, Katara couldn't help the gut busting laugh that resonated from her mouth. "Oh come on Sokka, hahahahahaha. You have to admit this is hilarious!"

If he was a firebender Sokka would have steam rising off his face. "Hilarious! Dousing me in fish water with magic tricks Grand Pakku taught you to make you a pooh bah illusionist is not hilarious!"

An annoyed frown appeared on Katara's face. "I've told you this again and again Sokka, it's not magic it's waterbending! And I am not a pooh bah illusionist, I'm a master waterbender. Grand Pakku as I'm the youngest one he's ever seen." It wasn't as if he didn't respect his sister or care about her work, he did. But all the family ever talked about was their precious Katara, master waterbender. Sokka sometimes felt a little looked over, especially with their mother gone and father oftentimes too exhausted to spend any time with them.

Every day they had this same argument, and Katara lost her patience for Sokka's crap years ago. Since they were old enough both of them ventured outside the cove of _Shiro Oiru_ (Castle Oil, the principle city of Fire Commissariat Southland) to fish for prime seafood to sell to the Imperial Governor. Their father might be the appointed representative of the people, popular with both the native tribesmen and the foreign guest workers operating the rigs but his life was at the mercy of the Imperial Governor; the square in front of the new, concrete Palace/_Curia_ already had the charred bodies of immolated thought criminals, burned for the official crime of indifferent attitudes towards His Divine Majesty.

"Sure sure," Sokka waved off, talking loudly since they didn't have to worry about Imperial Navy patrol craft (though Admiral Jee was a friend of her fathers and waterbenders were in high demand at the rigs the family decided it was better to keep her waterbending a secret). "If you ask me the only thing those tricks are good for is cooking, proper women's work." He leaned back in the canoe, grinning. Katara's indignant outbursts were the real definition of hilarious.

Cheeks burning in anger, Katara's body began to simmer within her parka. Yes, she took over most of the household chores after her mother disappeared in addition to her waterbending. Yes, she realized Sokka was an ass and she shouldn't take him seriously, but for Tui's sake! "You arrogant, disgusting, sexist piece of shit!" Her fury rolled over her in waves, the glaciers cracking from the invisible force.

While usually it was funny, with chunks of ice plunging into the water Sokka was starting to get scared. "Uh, Katara."

"I cannot believe you and I are brother and sister! You are absolutely nothing like me at all!" A jerk of her hand sent a ten foot tall floe careening into the cove.

"Katara!" he yelled, but as he opened his mouth to continue no words were able to form. 'Is that steam coming out of her hands?'

"Sometimes I just want to… AGH! GAH!" Shoving her hands out in anger, two gouts of flame erupted out and struck the walls of ice, scorching large holes into them.

The two teens were dumbfounded. Sokka's mouth was gaping like the fish that had matted his hair while Katara just stared at her hands in complete shock. "Did I just do that?" she murmured. 'Did I just… firebend?'

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The click of two sets of armored boots echoed through the cavernous halls of the Imperial Palace, Guardsmen bowing as the Prince and the Princess ran toward their destination. Freshly showered and dressed after their mid-afternoon sparring session, they rushed to make the meeting that both felt was their right to attend.

Sure enough the meeting was just about to begin, important ministers and Governors streaming inside the Council Chamber. "Uncle!" cried Crown Prince Zuko, catching to older man in a conversation with General Dora.

Glancing to his left, Iroh spotted his niece and nephew. "Prince Zuko, Princess Azula, what's the big hurry? Don't tell me you two got on the bad side of the Yu Yan Archers again?" He chuckled at his own joke.

Azula's eyes narrowed. "That was a misunderstanding Uncle and you know it, we were only thirteen," she said evenly, butting in before Zuko had a chance to ruin it with his temper. They needed to be on their best behavior.

"Sure, sure," he grinned, eyes twinkling. At his glance the two royal siblings had grown considerably since their father formed the Empire.

Zuko was the archetype of a warrior Prince, muscles firm and toned, well educated, and filled with determination. As was common within the Royal House, Zuko had a volatile temper and it was a pain to control, patience yet another virtue he lacked. His firebending was excellent, but he did have a tendency to overexert himself and get sloppy after a while. Iroh, Ursa, and Kya (Ursa's personal handmaiden and a surrogate aunt for the royal siblings) had pondered that problem and recruited his old friend Piandao, a master swordsman, to teach him hand to hand combat. Zuko had excelled, a master in the Dao twin blades. He was destined for greatness, and military service would fix the flaws, Iroh knew it.

Azula on the other hand possessed far different problems. Outwardly she was the epitome of her mother, a beautiful, radiant girl who would turn heads in any environment. However, she had a very low opinion of herself, a major problem that really stumped Ursa, Kya, and Iroh. She needed the close love of a parent, which Zuko did as well but even more so. In a way, Iroh was glad his brother shunned his children, for he was certain Azula would have gravitated toward Ozai and emulated him in every respect if the Emperor had let her. Since that had thankfully not happened, they had nothing to worry about. Yes Azula was aloof, outwardly cold to most, and very introverted as opposed to her brother but she was a firebending prodigy and highly controlled her emotions.

In short, as he had so laboriously instilled against their natural sibling tendencies the two were always together. They fought like hell but complemented each other well, closer in a way to the other than to anyone else. It warmed his heart.

"Anyway, what can I do for my favorite niece and nephew?"

Looking at each other, Zuko nodded for his sister to ask. "We want to join the meeting Uncle."

The smile was replaced with a weary frown. "I'm not sure I can do that Azula. Besides, you wouldn't want to anyway."

"Exactly," said Dora, knowing the worst that could happen but keeping his fear in check. "These meetings are nothing major, just tedious procedure and bureaucratic shuffling. Nothing to see."

"You see, nothing. Why don't you go see your friends Mai and Ty Lee?" Iroh suggested, hoping they would take the message.

"But uncle," Zuko interjected. "If we are to rule the Empire, shouldn't we learn everything that transpires?"

Sighing, Iroh had to admit they had a point. Besides, he knew how stubborn they both were; Zuko may have been seventeen and Azula fifteen but they had the intelligence and spirit of hardened war heroes. "Very well," he said evenly. "But do not say anything, only speak when spoken too, and don't draw attention to yourselves."

"Some of the councilors can be rather cutthroat," Dora added. Both agreeing, the two men led the Royal sibling through the red curtains into the chamber.

About thirty minutes later, the Tsungi Horn blared as Emperor Ozai entered the room and sat on his golden throne behind the wall of flame, all present prostrating themselves before him. Procedure regarding the Emperor was to treat him as if a god, no exceptions tolerated. The slightest transgression was answered with summary immolation, usually by His Divine Majesty himself; such was the will of _Koi Seifuku_ – willful subjugation – the official doctrine of the Empire.

As High _Daimyo_ and Chief of the General Staff, General Dora began the meeting. "Your Divine Majesty, esteemed councilors, there is a trouble spot that I must bring our collective attention to. Within the Zhangjiajie Commissariat there has been some reports of internal dissent against our rule. A group of outlaws has been raiding isolated supply convoys exiting the central valley of the region. Honored Minster, what have you compiled on this threat?"

Long Feng, the Minister of Internal Security and Grand Secretariat of the Independent City of Ba Sing Se (a meaningless title; due to his other duties as head of the Dai Li – the Empire's secret police – real control of the city rested with General Fong, commander of the 2nd Area Army) rose and bowed to his sovereign. "From what my agents have discovered the outlaws are nothing more than a group of children led by an orphan named Jet. However, they have become local heroes in the ranks of the former Earth Peasants and poor Fire Nation settlers in the region. In my opinion they pose a security risk in the near future, the makings of a rebellion if left alone to fester."

"Thank you Minister," Iroh pointed out from his pedestal underneath his brother. "General, what course of action do you advise?"

"It is simple esteemed councilors. I recommend that we move two legions of soldiers to supplement the current garrison and launch a counterinsurgency campaign, remind the locals of the benefits of living within the Empire. Once local support withers, these rebels will be easy prey for our men."

Zuko found himself nodding, the plan sounding like a reasonable one. Glancing sideways at Azula, his sister seemed unmoved but Zuko knew all the subtle tells; she was in agreement too.

"How long do you believe this will take?" asked Zhao, who as Minister of Provincial Affairs (basically everything except Ba Sing Se and the Home Continent) had ultimate authority of policing the Commissariats.

"About a year, maybe two," Dora replied.

"Ach!" Zhao scoffed. "Enough with that drivel. We need to destroy even the thought of rebellion with an iron fist!"

"I agree," said Governor Hahn of Fire Commissariat Northland. "The Empire must not appear weak in the eyes of the people." Zuko was appalled at the sneer in which he said "The People."

"I have an idea," said Governor Tanaka of Fire Commissariat Taku, which encompassed Chameleon Bay. "There's a large dam overlooking the valley. We should detonate it and let the citizens drown along with the rebels. What are the lives of a few more traitors worth?"

"Are you insane?" Zuko cried, forgetting his Uncle's words in his anger and horror.

"Zuko," Azula hissed softly. "Shut up."

Ignoring her Zuko stared daggers at the Governor. "There are 200,000 citizens in that valley who love the Empire! You are a heartless monster if you even suggest to condemn them to death for the crimes of others!"

The entire meeting was cut off by the raging flames in front of the throne.

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"How can you even suggest this Pakku?" Hakoda snarled, hands gripping the ice beam above his head. His world was crumbling before him. 'Katara is the Avatar? First Kya disappears and now this?' "I won't let Katara and Sokka leave! I need to protect them."

"Hakoda," Pakku argued cautiously, knowing that his stepson's emotions were in control right now. "It isn't safe for her here. She needs to blend in among the crowds and she can't do so in such a close knit environment, especially with you in such a high position. It's too risky."

"But she's all I have left of her mother," he said softly, collapsing into a chair with his head in his hands.

Kanna approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. "My son, I do not want them to leave either, but this is the only way to guarantee her safety. We have to send her away along with her brother, it's for their own good."

"You're sending us away?!" The three adults looked to find both teenagers staring at them. "Why?" Katara asked. What possible reason could they have of sending her and Sokka away from everything they held dear?

Standing, Hakoda pulled his daughter into his arms. "Oh my little girl," he cooed, kissing her hair. "You have grown up so much; you remind me more of your mother every day." She really didn't know where this was coming from; Katara looked at Sokka confused, her brother merely shrugging.

"Katara, please sit down," said Kanna, guiding her to a couch. "Katara my dear, remember what you said earlier, about the fire erupting out of your hands?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied. After telling Gran Gran about it, both she and Sokka concluded it had to be some optical illusion, a trick their minds were playing on them.

"My dear granddaughter, you are the Avatar. Of this we have no doubt."

Katara's eyes widened, the young waterbender at a loss of words. "But… a… what?"

Sokka was just as stunned, jaw dropped almost to the floor. "She… she's the AVATAR!"

"Sokka shush," Pakku hissed.

"But I don't understand it. How can she be the Avatar?" Sokka asked, pointing to the silent Katara.

Sighing, Pakku stood and sat next to Katara, motioning Sokka to sit between him and his step-granddaughter. "Fifteen years ago I entered the Spirit Oasis of the Northern Water Tribe to pay my respect to Tui and La for saving Princess Yue from death."

"The girl married to Governor Hahn?" Katara asked, her voice soft and ethereal, still in shock.

"Yes," Pakku answered, continuing. "I had laid the flowers when all of a sudden the pool glowed a bright white, only for a moment mind you. I thought nothing of it until your grandmother told me of your first experience firebending. Katara that was the night you were born. The pool lit up because the new Avatar was born, you."

"But… but…" she stammered. "Everyone says the Avatar was killed by the first Crown Prince Zuko on the first day of the Subjugation War."

"You are the living proof of the Empire's lies Katara," Gran Gran told her. "And that is why you are in grave danger. His Divine Majesty will discover you if you stay here, and he will not be merciful since you are the one person on this planet who can threaten his rule."

Sokka was incredulous; yet another trophy for his perfect sister: waterbender, surrogate mother, and now savior of the world. However, looking at how scared she was, he realized at that point that losing her would kill him inside. For the longest time when he thought of their mother, all he could picture was Katara. "What happens now dad?" he asked Hakoda.

Looking between his two children, the Chief felt a single tear flow down his cheek. Much as it pained him, he had to do what was best for his children. He owed it to them and to Kya. "You have to leave here, the sooner the better."

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"Please don't do this my son," pleaded Ursa, her hands clasped together beseechingly as she gazed down at her son. Zuko was bare-chested, hair pulled up in a ponytail as he meditated.

"Your mother is right Prince Zuko," added Iroh, concerned for his nephew. Something was off about this, there were too many Imperial Guards for a normal Agni Kai. "No one would think less of you if you took the alternate course of action." Every Agni Kai had a pathway out for those that had cold feet. For someone as high up the chain as Zuko, it would entail at least six months serving as a common Pretorian on the firing lines, but that was better than this.

"I will not back down uncle," Zuko replied, standing up. Stepping behind him, Kya helped Zuko don the ceremonial blood red robe used for the Agni Kai. "I must show father I am worthy for the throne."

Iroh sighed, feeling every one of his over fifty years on this earth. "Nephew, doing this will not endear yourself to His Divine Majesty." He knew nothing would cause his brother to love his children, but he couldn't say that.

Zuko scoffed at his uncle. "Please, didn't Lu Ten fight an Agni Kai when he was only two years older than me? It bolstered his position at court didn't it?"

"My son," Ursa told him, "Your cousin did that at a different time, your Grandfather's time. Now is different." Only since they were all alone was Ursa speaking freely. The walls had too many ears in this palace.

"Mother, Uncle, may I talk to him?" All eyes turned to Azula, who had been leaning in the corner not making a sound.

Moving forward to speak Ursa was cut off by Iroh's hand on her shoulder. "Yes Princess Azula, your mother and I better head for the Imperial box. Please join us when you're done."

Looking between her brother-in-law and two children, Ursa nodded. "I love you Zuko. Be safe."

"I will mother, don't worry," Zuko replied confidently. Soon the staging chamber was empty except for himself and Azula. "You wanted to speak to me Zula?" he asked, touching up his robe.

"Zuzu," she began, "You are an idiot."

"Thank you Zula," groaned Zuko, rolling his eyes. "That was very helpful of you."

"I'm serious brother," she stated bluntly, her signature mocking tone taking over. "I don't think getting yourself charred alive by Governor Tanaka will make father like you more."

"Are you serious?" he replied with a raised eyebrow. "Tanaka is as old as he is stupid. I can whip him with one hand tied behind my back."

"Zuzu," Azula said, her voice losing its edge. "This is an incredible risk for you. When we spar it is one thing, but this is real. Are you sure you're up to taking this burden on alone."

"So you think I'm not up to it?" Zuko challenged, his temper rising. "Well I'm sorry that I can't bend blue fire or shoot out lightning at will like Miss Prodigy here."

"That's not it at all," murmured Azula in a soft tone that Zuko only really heard on occasion. "I don't want you to die."

Zuko was shocked for a moment. 'These must be her real feelings,' he thought. Azula really didn't open up to anyone, Zuko knowing this because he was the same way. Compartmentalization and holding one's tongue were essential in the Imperial Court, even for the Princess and Crown Prince. Now and again though the real him and the real her did shine through, brother and sister fighting together as they always did. "Hey, don't worry about me Zula," he said with a smile, bringing her in for a brotherly hug. "If I can beat you then Governor Tanaka's dead meat."

A chuckle escaped her lips. "You're still an idiot Zuzu, but I must admit that is true." They pulled apart, smiling. "Just remember," she warned him, "Try and close as quickly as possible; use your strength in hand-to-hand against him to break his root."

"Yes uncle," he deadpanned, causing them both to laugh.

"Good luck Prince Zuko," she continued in a more serious tone. "And kick his ass or I swear I will electrocute you myself."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied. Bowing, Azula left the room just as the gong was sounded. "Creator," Zuko muttered as he walked into the arena, "Give me courage, shine light into my heart. Agni, give me strength, fuel my inner fire."

The Royal Arena was packed with the assembled nobility, the only ones who could enter the Imperial City or see an Agni Kai involving a member of the Royal Family (others being performed in Meji's Amphitheater outside the crater). Zuko spotted his mother, uncle, and an out of breath Azula in their seats in the Imperial Box, joined by Zhao, the Imperial Governors, and the other members of the council.

Taking his position, Zuko spotted a hooded figure opposite him kneeling with his back turned. 'Genocidal old fool,' he thought, eager to humiliate him in front of the whole court. Kneeling himself, he was surprised for a moment when the gong rang, the Tsungi Horn supposed to announce his father's arrival silent. He removed his robe and stood, freezing at his opponent. That wasn't Governor Tanaka.

Prince Zuko was facing His Divine Majesty, Defender of the Race, Scion of the Eternal Flame, Phoenix Emperor Ozai, his own father.

Azula was trembling after the initial shock passed. 'Father? Why is he fighting?' It then hit her, the court protocol indicated that when Zuko spoke out of turn it disrespected their father, not Tanaka. 'No Zuzu, no.'

The bellow of the Tsungi Horn forced the entire assembled mass to bow to their sovereign, all except for  
Zuko who stood in horror. Confidant at the start, it all had been washed away by his father's appearance, His Divine Majesty's mere presence chilling his inner fire to the bone. Slowly, Ozai began to move toward his son, small tendrils of smoke billowing from his fists and a scowl on his face.

"Father," Zuko said as the Tsungi Horn's blast ceased its malevolent echo. "Please, I am your son." He wouldn't fight his own father, he couldn't. Despite everything Ozai was his father and he loved him. "I only was looking toward the Empire's interests."

"Do not be a coward Prince Zuko!" the Emperor thundered, stepping forward toward his son. "You must fight for your honor."

"I cannot betray you father," Zuko replied. "I will not dishonor our family that way."

The air in the arena was superheating from the pure fire radiating out of the world's sovereign, the most powerful being to walk on the earth since the great Spirit Agni so long ago. "You will rise!" Ozai bellowed at his only son, steam rising from his hands.

"Father, I will not fight you," Zuko said, terror coursing through him. Even with the abuse and neglect he and Azula had suffered from their father for so long, only now did he understand why any human, from the lowliest slave to the most powerful noble quaked in the presence of the almighty Phoenix Emperor. "I am your loyal son. I fight _for_ you, not against you."

Iroh couldn't watch. From the Imperial box most present were enjoying the show; Hahn was laughing, Zhao grinning like a hyena-baboon, and Long Feng smirking darkly among the others. Sitting next to him in the lower throne Ursa was close to sobs, her beloved son nearing closer and closer to death.

The Prince's eyes met with Dora's, the Latin-Semite dressed in the formal red-gold toga of a noble rather than his military uniform. Both knew Zuko was a dead man and were saddened by it; if the young Prince had even put up a token effort Ozai would have clobbered him within an inch of his life and then let him be, but if there was anything His Divine Majesty hated it was weakness and love.

"You will not find anyone more loyal than me," Zuko breathed, the intense, scorching heat that was nearly searing his bare torso indicating his father was right above him.

Reaching down and pulling his weak son up by the throat, Ozai lit his palm, staring at Zuko. "You are no son of mine," he said in a low growl. "You are weak, and thusly will suffer the same fate as all the others."

"Father stop!"

A hushed silence fell over the arena, all eyes were drawn to Princess Azula in shock, the raven haired daughter of His Divine Majesty standing on the stone grounds having leapt from her perch. Realizing what she had done, Azula's mouth dropped and her hands flew to cover the gasp. She couldn't let Zuko die, but the look of surprise combined with pure, burning anger in her father's eyes making her tremble.

"You dare to speak to me as if I would obey your command!" thundered the Emperor.

A sudden terror coursed through Azula, the flaming eyes of her furious father boring down on her and her alone. She had always reckoned herself a strong and intimidating woman but as of now she felt akin to a murderer about to be burned alive. "No father," Azula choked out meekly. However, she couldn't let Zuko die. "Just don't hurt him. He has done nothing to you."

Rage boiling into a literal inferno, Ozai was about to strike down both insolent brats he sired with a massive gout of flame when his hands stilled mid stance. The snarl morphed into a dark, evil smirk as he stepped back, dropping Zuko onto the ground with a thud, the seventeen year old coughing his lungs out.

"Prince Zuko! Princess Azula! Present yourself to your sovereign!" Despite being firebenders, both were sweating profusely in their terror. They complied though, for it was suicide to disobey a direct order from the Emperor. Each of them prostrated themselves on their knees, scared to look up.

"I have dealt with your disappointment and disrespect for too long," Ozai bellowed, more for the crowd than for his children. For the nobility and military he needed to intimidate them, and dealing with these disappointments would serve as a lesson to all of them. As the old saying went: a leader must burn one to encourage the others. "You two are a disgrace to the Royal House."

"Father, please understand," Azula pleaded, hot tears falling down her face.

"We only had the Empire's best interests at heart," Zuko continued through his fear, not much more composed as his sister.

"The Empire? THE EMPIRE? I AM THE EMPIRE!" he roared, flames erupting out of his mouth and into the already superheated air. "WHEN YOU ACT AGAINST ME YOU ACT AGAINST THE EMPIRE, AND THE PUNISHMENT FOR THAT IS DEATH!"

"Noo!" Ursa wailed.

"Get Ursa out of here," Iroh ordered Dora and Kya. All three knew that their Empress could not see what would happen. It would destroy her.

"However, there are some fates that are worse than death," Ozai continued, smirking darkly at his children. Jerking them both up, he ordered his guards to face Zuko's head towards him and bare Azula's back.

Gripping her waist, Dora and Kya dragged the screaming Ursa out of the arena. "Please my lady," Kya whispered, feeling her mistress' pain. It was the same pain felt every day she spent away from her two babies.

Ursa didn't hear her, the usually stoic Empress inconsolable. "Don't Ozai! Don't kill my babies!"

Thankfully to Iroh, most (except for Zhao and a few nobles who were chuckling at the display) ignored it; the Empress deserved to keep her honor intact especially at this time, and each understood that this was pure torture for her to witness.

"You will have to learn the true meaning of your failure." He lit both of his palms and hovered the cackling flames just out of reach of their skin. Both shut their eyes, the fire singing Zuko's eye and Azula's back. "And suffering will be your teacher!"

Iroh looked away, the cheers, gasps, and laughs from the nobles drowned out by the bloodcurdling screams from his niece and nephew. The famed Dragon of the West couldn't watch this horror.

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As the crew of the small junk prepared to take her to sea, Kanna hugged her granddaughter tightly. "Be safe Katara, make sure to keep up with your studies and your health."

"Alright Gran Gran," Katara replied, tears running down her cheek to stain her parka. "I love you." Turning to Pakku, she tried to compose herself. "Goodbye Master Pakku," she bowed.

A smirk appeared on his face. "A bow is a good way to say goodbye to your master." His smirk then softened into a smile and he opened his arms. "But how about a hug for your grandfather?" Katara ran into his arms, Pakku embracing her tightly. "You'll be safe Katara. My friends will teach you how to survive until things are ready to challenge the Emperor."

To their right, Hakoda released his son and clasped his arm. "Remember son, Katara's safety is in your hands. Make me proud."

"I will dad," Sokka told him proudly.

Hakoda then turned to his daughter. "I love you my daughter. Your mother would be proud of you."

Katara lost herself in her father's embrace, knowing she wouldn't see him in a very long while.

'I am the Avatar,' the fact played more and more in her mind. Releasing her father, Katara linked hands with Sokka, the two siblings moving toward the boat.

And their destiny.

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Holding a tray of fruit and a pitcher of water, Kya entered her mistress' quarters. "My Lady?" she called out softly, seeing no one in the sitting room and setting the food and water down on the table. Entering the bedchamber, she heard the tears before she spotted Empress Ursa. She was sitting on the floor, her back propped up on the bed. A knife was clutched in her hands, the blade hovering over her heart. "My lady no!" Kya cried out, dropping to the floor and prying the knife out of her hands.

"Why should I continue living Kya?" Ursa asked, her voice faint. "My children are gone, mutilated and banished by their monster of a father." She began sobbing. "I wish I had taken them years ago and left this awful place!"

Holding her, Kya understood her mistress' pain. There wasn't a day that she didn't long for her beloved Sokka and Katara; in her forced stay in the Fire Nation she had bonded with her Empress' two children, both of them reminding her so much of her babies. It was as if she had been wrenched away from them for a second time now.

The memory of their injuries, the burned, blistered skin of Zuko's face and Azula's back came to mind. She and Iroh had been the only ones to bandage them, to take care of them before Iroh led them onto the passenger airship disguised as common peasants. The tears flooded her eyes as well.

Standing to grab a towel for herself and for Ursa, she ran into a tall, imposing figure. Looking up, her eyes widened and Kya immediately prostrated herself on the floor.

"Get out of here slave!" snarled Ozai, not bothering to even glance at the insect before him.

Kya scurried away, thanking La she could escape with her life.

Staring at his wife, the Emperor chuckled. "My my Ursa, you are pathetic. Some noblewoman you are."

Her husband's evil words sparked an anger deep within Ursa, an anger for so long suppressed. "I'm pathetic Ozai?" she asked, the only person alive who could still call the World's Sovereign by his name. "You are an evil monster! A FUCKING EVIL MONSTER!" She slammed her fists on his chest over and over again, the dark smirk never leaving his face. "How could you do that to my babies?"

"They were weak, and there is no place for weakness in my Empire," he replied, pushing her away. "If I had my way I'd dispose of you too."

"No you wouldn't Ozai," Ursa laughed. "You could never dispose of me. I know your deep dark secret, the reason your father gave you the Omashu command and the reason you are ruling instead of Iroh."

Ozai turned, eyes blazing. "You better shut your mouth wife," he seethed.

"Killing the Avatar is the only reason you're here, and you must be thanking Agni every day that he was in the Avatar State when you did so." A smirk crossed her lips. "But what if he wasn't Ozai? What if he wasn't? I hope to the Creator he wasn't my husband, for then you aren't the most powerful being on this planet."

Having enough of her, Ozai slapped her hard on the cheek, chuckling at the massive welt that formed. He turned and left, blocking out what she said. The Avatar was no more, but so what if he was alive? He had prepared for his destiny, to take what was his. Soon the Day of Black Sun would come. Soon nothing would stand in his way.

Soon, he would be the eternal god Emperor.

**A/N: And Boom goes the dynamite!**

**I really didn't intend for it to be this long, but there was a lot that needed to be covered.**

**So the prologue is over. Next up is the start of the true story.**

**I modeled the god-like worship of Ozai on the Juche ideology of North Korea and the colonization of the world after the Nazi German Lebensraum. We'll see more of it in later chapters.**

**I know, Azula's a bit OOC in the staging chamber, but in The Boiling Rock Part 2 and the finale she was rather affected by Mai and Ty Lee betraying her. It indicated deeper feelings stemming from her mother's abandonment; all else equal, she's just as concerned about her loved ones as Zuko is and factoring in her being raised by Ursa and Iroh here I'd think this is what would happen.**

**Can't wait to see you for the start of the real story :)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	5. Chapter 1: Loss and Beginning

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry it took so long but it's finally here! The Zutara has arrived!**

**The chapter starts a bit dark, but you'll be laughing at the end trust me ;)**

**The song Jet sings is to the music of Oh, Susanna.**

**I've gotten yet another review accusing me of racism and comparing me to M. Night Shyamalan (them's fighting words for any ATLA fan) over the Latin-Semites and guns. I will say this for the last damn time, if the show was supposed to be only Asian then where in Chinese or Japanese culture does "Earth Rumble Six" or "pro-bending" (yes, I saw the first season of LoK) come from? They are all Western cultural inventions so all your crap about keeping the pure-Asian outlook of the show has already been quashed by Bryke, not me. If Latin-Semite is unrealistic because it's too obvious then how do you explain "Buzzard-Wasp" and "Platypus-Bear" from the show or "Austria-Hungary" or "Czechoslovakia" in real life? About the guns, technology doesn't exist in a vacuum. I find it hard to believe that the Fire Nation technology didn't fundamentally change in 100 years. During a war opposing sides leap head first to find a new edge against their opponents, anyone that learned even a modicum of military history knows that. It makes no sense why they could make steam engines and vehicles but not guns. Besides, it wouldn't make bending irrelevant. Most battles during the Gunpowder Age were fought with blade and bayonet since muskets were too inaccurate and slow to reload for anything more than volley fire. Having benders in an army would be extremely advantageous. **

**Sorry guys, had to get that out. I hate these narcissists who go around criticizing stories and labeling people racists for no good reason.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. Chalk that up to another unfulfilled dream.**

**This chapter is for babyvfan :)**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter 1: Loss and Beginning

Three Years Later

13 AI

_A dark stormcloud spat out lightning, a tempest brewing around the lone girl. She stood on the top of a mountain, powerless to escape the gale before her. _

_All of a sudden a dark red flash flickered in front of her. It soon focused into a fearsome old man, fire erupting out of his arms and eyes glowing. _

_The girl wasn't afraid though. "What do you want from me?!" she cried, the figure silent. It soon morphed into a slight, short boy. His eyes and bald scalp shone bright as well. _

"_Be ready," was all the small figure said, the stormclouds enveloping all before her._

"_What! What do you want?!" All she could see through the darkness were two, golden eyes staring back at her…_

Eyes shooting open, Katara immediately felt herself land hard on dusty soil. Hearing the ever present laugh from above she scowled darkly. "Jet! You two bit asshole!" She tried to raise her hands but they were tied together and to the cart. "What the hell?!"

Twirling a stalk of wheat in his mouth, the self-styled "Freedom Fighter" laughed some more. "Well you weren't getting up so I did what I had to do. You have got to lighten up."

"That's what I keep saying," Sokka quipped, reaching down and pulling her up. "Just relax sis and laugh at my jokes for once."

She smirked mischievously. "I would if I could Sokka, if they were funny."

A feminine voice to Sokka's right giggled. "Hey they are so funny." He looked as if steam was rising from his skin. "Why are you giggling Suki? You laugh at my jokes!"

"I hate to break it to you Sokka," Katara grinned, "But as your fiancé she kind of has to."

"Wha… but… Is that true Suki?"

The brunette warrior leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. "Not at all, you are very funny."

"You see sis!" he exclaimed triumphantly, not spotting the wink Suki shot his sister. "I am funny."

"Whatever you say Sokka," Katara replied with a shrug as her brother pulled her soon to be sister in law into a passionate kiss. "Ugh! Get a room." Much as many men back on Kyoshi Island and Fabius Major tried she just never felt the urge. It was almost as if La and the Creator were saving her up for someone.

"Hey!" Jet shouted, "Suck face on your own time guys! We have some Fire Fuckers to deal with." He cracked the reins, the two ostrich-horses moving forward.

Sighing, Katara moved forward with Sokka and Suki as not to be dragged. She understood the plan and why she had to be tied but didn't have to like it. Jet and Sokka had a tendency to do that with their plans.

Looking over at her brother and then at her own clothes, Katara reflected on how much they had changed over the last three years. Life at Kyoshi Island, staying with Grand Pakku's friend who had been the local _Daimyo_, was sheltered but never lazy. Both siblings were trained till they dropped and then trained till they didn't drop in strength, endurance, hand to hand combat, a variety of melee weapons, sharpshooting, and in Katara's case waterbending practice. She had really matured over the years; growing up fast was necessary in the Eternal Phoenix Empire, especially the Avatar (only her, Sokka, Suki, and the _Daimyo _knew of her secret).

Sokka had come so far as well. She had watched her brother go from an awkward, annoying teenager into an engaged, if slightly more annoying adult. Watching him struggle to carve Suki's betrothal necklace, though funny, proved to her he did have his priorities straight (though the irony of him being with a woman who whooped his ass on the first day they met wasn't lost on her).

"The Terror of the Valley," Jet sang in the cart, "He might come for me! I'm quacking in my boots tonight cause the Terror is Free! Whoo!" He pumped his fist in the air. "You guys should be honored, being led by the legendary Freedom Fighter himself."

"A legend in his own mind," Sokka muttered. Katara knew Sokka and Jet couldn't stand each other, ironic since they were both alike in so many ways. A year ago both of them, Suki insisting on coming as well, left their Island home to fight the Empire and learn skills unable to be taught by instructors. Entering Fabius Major they met Jet, the former rebel leader whose home valley had been destroyed by a flood years before. Known as the Terror of the Valley, he proceeded to teach the three everything he knew about raiding and bushwhacking, and now they were going to use their reputation among the Imperial troops against them.

Her mind drifted to the dream. The older man and the young boy were both regulars, but the golden eyes… She'd never seen them before. 'And what did he mean: "Be ready?"' They almost always were silent. She had come to accept the knowledge at being the Avatar, but whenever she figured she could learn the other styles of bending the dreams forbade it.

"Alright, we're here. Act like you're pissed to be in my custody."

"Won't be too hard," Sokka sneered, causing Katara and Suki to laugh. 'Alright, that is funny.'

Fanning himself, Centurion Gaius Takai spotted a vehicle approaching his station. Bandits in this section of Fire Commissariat Gaoling were a pestilence on the farmland that supplied most of Ba Sing Se. He had appropriated a local farm and used it a base against the bandits. Observing the prisoners this man was bringing he figured a promotion out of here was his. "So, what do we have here?"

"I found these shits stealing some of my livestock. After seeing the wanted posters I figured I'd get my money's worth."

Motioning his soldiers over, he compared the prisoners to the sketch. 'Gotcha.' "Alright, these bandits are now in the custody of Centurion Gaius Takai and 2nd Platoon. We'll take them the rest of the way."

"What are we worth?" Sokka called out. 'Like he needs the ego boost,' Katara thought with a roll of the eyes.

"200 gold coins," Jet announced as the soldiers handed him the pay voucher. "200 gold coins for the lot of you."

"What?!" Sokka shouted. 'I'm worth more than that!' "That's crazy! Don't take it Jet!" One Imperial soldier threw a right hook to his jaw.

A pistol was immediately aimed at his face. "Touch my brother again," Katara growled, "And I'll kill you." She could have used her bending but it was much simpler to act like Earth Kingdom peasants. The authorities would be less likely to overreact and send an assassination unit.

One other solider reached for his _Pilum _but Katara aimed a second pistol at him, ropes hanging loosely around her hands. "Hey, I thought you were tied up."

She grinned wolfishly. "That's because you were stupid." Sokka and Suki took that moment to use their ropes to trip the entire unit, both immediately brandishing their _Pila._

"So, about that reward," Jet said, his twin hook-swords out.

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"Thank you Mr. Gansu," Katara told the farmer with a smile. Their band kept swords, pistols, and – in her case – water trained on them for appearances; the Empire would return to free their men, and she did not want these kind people to be labeled traitors.

"Lee, get back," the farmer said with a tone of terror as he placed a bag of grain in the cart. However, the twinkle of amusement in his eyes belied his eagerness to help them.

"Alright! Let's get the hell out of here!" Jet hooted, reins in his hand. Katara rolled her eyes. As much a strategic genius he was the self-described "Freedom Fighter" was as big a kid as her brother was.

Speaking of her brother… "Be careful Suki. At Jet's speeds you could fall out of the cart."

The warrior glared at her fiancée. "I'm a warrior Sokka, I can take care of myself."

"Hey, have your married spats on your own time," Jet scolded, causing Katara to laugh. "One, two, three. HI-YA!" He cracked the reins. The two ostrich-horses bayed and began to charge forth, leaving the farm in a cloud of dust. "I love this job! YAAAAAAAAH!"

Katara had to admit, with the wind pulling at her hair and the thrill of raiding in her veins she felt omnipotent. After three years she could feel that the time to begin her Avatar training was arriving. When it did, she would be ready.

Cresting the ridge about a mile out of the farm, her omnipotence and confidence drained at the sight in front of them. "WHOA! Whoa!" Jet commanded, drawing back the reins until the ostrich-horses pulled to a halt. The four raiders gaped in fearful shock.

Waiting for them on the dirt track was a troop of Imperial heavy Cavalry, two dozen mixed benders and gunmen, komodo-rhinos snorting with impatience. In the middle stood their leader. He stood tall, sporting the _phaelerae _of an Admiral and the gold-scarlet cape of a high noble. A dark grin was sandwiched between his thick sideburns.

The four raiders froze for a moment in shock before coming to their senses, scrambling off the cart. The Admiral raised his arms into a firebending stance and shot a jet of flame at them. Katara, Sokka, and Suki made it out into the barren scrubland but Jet was caught in the shoulder as he jumped. The Freedom Fighter, Terror of the Valley, fell to the dusty ground, moaning from the second-degree burns. Eyes training on the fleeing criminals, Zhao motioned to the troop sharpshooter. "Jiang. Take them down."

The trooper, a native of Ba Sing Se, nodded. The _pilum_ rose to his shoulder.

The three were nearly over a ridge when the sharp crack of the _pilum_ rang out. Immediately Suki fell over, blood trickling out to form a dark pool just underneath her shoulder. "Argh!" she cried, the pain washing over her like lightning.

The siblings stumbled, turning with wide eyes. "SUKI!" cried Sokka, seeing his fiancé down. They both rushed over. "Get up, we'll get you out of here."

Seeing Katara uncork her waterskin Suki, placed a hand on her arm. The dull gallop of the Komodo-Rhinos was picking up, and if they fought she knew they would all die. 'I can't let the Avatar perish like this.' "No, go!" she cried.

Sokka did a double take. "No, we can…"

She silenced him with a quick, passionate kiss. "Go," Suki whispered, green eyes locked to blue, communicating all that needed saying.

Katara felt tears welling in her eyes, but they didn't have time to properly say goodbye. "Sokka come on!" She practically pulled him over the ridge and behind a grove of trees as the Imperial troopers burst into view, quickly surrounding the wounded Kyoshi Warrior.

Entering the ring the troop had formed, Zhao circled her with his magnificent light grey beast. A leer was on his face as he hopped down. "Where are the others?" he asked in a low, menacing voice.

Suki stared at him defiantly. "Fuck. You." A Kyoshi Warrior never surrendered or talked.

Zhao chuckled darkly. "Foolish girl. Pretty but foolish. Don't worry, I'll find them soon enough." He looked at his men before turning back to the wounded girl. "You know, there is a way you can keep your life," he leered, the implication obvious.

'I would rather die.' Spitting at him, Suki calmly removed the hidden knife from her belt. 'I love you Sokka.' Her last thoughts were of him when the knife plunged into her stomach.

Snorting, Zhao shook his head. "What a waste." The girl was still alive, but barely. He kicked her once, knowing the wound was fatal. Drawing his sword, Zhao stared at her for a moment before bringing it down forcefully.

The betrothal necklace clattered to the ground, two pairs of watchful and grief-stricken blue eyes riveted to the scene. Both wanted to cry but knew enough to wait for nightfall.

Zhao's lips curled back into a sneer. "Leave the body, bag the head."

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Fabius Major was one of the many cities that popped up during the blockade of Ba Sing Se. Perched on the Serpent's Sea, it was the third largest provincial city after Omashu and the Northern City. Home to over 200,000 inhabitants from all over the world it made the best home base for Sokka and Katara. And it also served as the best place for them to wallow in their grief.

"Sokka," Katara said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "Don't you think you've had enough?"

"Really?" he said caustically. "I'll decide that Katara, thanks."

She bit her lip. "Sokka, I loved Suki too, but we can't sit and wallow in self-pity like we did the last three days."

"I can. Just leave me in peace." He downed half his sake, twirling the betrothal necklace in his other hand. "I mean it, go away!"

Sighing, she decided to give him some space. Truth be told she was just as grief stricken as Sokka. However, he often held in his emotions which led to brooding like this. Only getting drunk actually let him come out of his shell, so maybe he was on to something.

'Eh, it's not for me.' Reaching the counter of the bar, she flagged the bartender. "Ginseng tea please, sugar but hold the lemon." He nodded and began pouring the steaming water.

"Hi." She looked over and saw a well-built man in Earth Kingdom green smiling at her. "Haven't seen you around. I would have remembered a pretty girl like you." His grin grew wide.

Katara wanted to groan. "Not interested," she said firmly, taking the tea in her hands.

"Oh come on. All alone like that? I know a woman needing a good time when I see it."

'Oh La, go away,' she thought, readying her waterskin.

Out of nowhere a hand clasped the man's shoulder. "Is this loser bothering you honey?"

The other man looked back, eyes widening. Katara's did as well. "Huh?"

A cloaked figure, nearly half a head taller than the jerk, stood behind them. "Is he bothering you honey?"

"Um, uh," the man stammered. "Is this your boyfriend?"

'What the hell?' This was a way out though. "Yeah."

"I would appreciate if you didn't flirt with my woman," the mystery man growled. The jerk stumbled, running out of the establishment. "Moron," he muttered, plopping onto one of the stools.

Katara didn't know what to say; in her experience no one in the oppressed provinces of the Eternal Phoenix Empire acted out of pure altruism. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself you know."

"I know. You seem like a strong girl," he said in a husky voice she found surprisingly alluring. "However, by the way you conduct yourself you don't want to be noticed."

"Excuse me?" Who was this guy?

"You are a waterbender are you not?"

This was getting scary. "Why would you think that?"

She could almost visualize the proud smirk under the hood. "Your blue eyes. They only appear in Latin-Semites or Water Tribesmen, but by the fact you have a waterskin with you then you aren't a Latin-Semite. They are proud of not being able to bend." She subconsciously hid the skin underneath her brown tunic. "Most indicative however is the necklace around your neck. It's a betrothal necklace only worn by married Water Tribe women. I'd think your husband back in the main hall would take kindly to a stranger flirting with his wife."

"Wait? Husband?" Katara burst into laughter, unable to control herself. "You think he's my…" It was just too funny. "He's my brother."

"Oh." The stranger seemed embarrassed. "I usually have a knack for these kind of things."

"Not a problem." She sipped her tea to calm down. "Everything else was well thought out." A frown soon formed on her lips. Anyone with this info about her was a threat, but for some reason she felt he was trustworthy. "Can you not disclose this to, uh… certain persons?" One had to be careful in the Empire. The Dai Li and the Provincial Authority had spies and informants everywhere.

"Trust me." The stranger removed his hood. "I have no intention of talking to these persons you speak of."

Katara gasped. The man, her brother's age most likely, had a crimson scar covering his entire left eye, the top only partially hidden by bushy black hair. It wasn't the most striking thing though to her. 'Those eyes,' she thought. 'Are they the ones from the dream?' Something about them, about his entire demeanor, it was attractive in a way. 'What have you gotten yourself into Katara?'

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Slamming the empty cup onto the table, Sokka groaned in despair. He wasn't anywhere near as drunk as he wanted to be. 'I can still picture her,' he thought bitterly. Everything he loved about Suki continued to play in his mind: her silky hair, her loving attitude, her fighting spirit that matched his own. All gone thanks to a sick bastard. The headless body of his betrothed still haunted his mind. 'Yep, not even close to being drunk enough.'

"More sake please," he motioned to the bartender, who came over to bus his dirty dishes.

"I need the money first," he replied brusquely.

Rummaging through his pockets, Sokka found them to be empty. "Damn! Uh. Ah ha!" He lifted up the betrothal necklace. It was a gleaming topaz, easily worth a hefty price.

"Ah, now this I like." The bartender made to snatch it when Sokka pulled it away.

"Nope, another drink first, and keep them coming." He hiccupped and smiled, loving his idea man mind.

"You are as big a fool as you are a drunk."

At first Sokka had no idea where the voice came from. He clumsily looked around before finding a young woman at the end of the same table staring intently at him with intense, gold eyes. "None of your damn business lady," he drawled. "And I'm not a fool."

The woman, who at second glance was quite pretty with raven hair and flawless porcelain skin, snorted. "You were clutching that stone like it were your very soul," she said in a crisp, educated tone dripping with distaste, "And now you want to sell it for two glasses of cheap sake? As I said, fool."

"What? Think I can get four?" He chuckled with a deep slur when the sound of a snorting gallop drew both his and her attention. Across the street was High Admiral Zhao himself, astride his light grey Komodo-Rhino surrounded by guards. "Him," Sokka snarled, mind clouded in a drunken haze. He stood, took out his boomerang, and wobbly made his way toward the exit.

"Whoa," said the flat tone of the woman. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Let go of me!" he cried, the only thing on his mind being to kill that fuck who murdered his love. "That's the man who killed my fiancé. He deserves to die."

"That may be so," replied the woman. She didn't know why she was helping him. Maybe he was too pathetic not to arouse her pity. "But even if you make it past the guards you are drunk off your ass and he's a professional soldier and bender. You won't last five seconds."

"Why do you care? Fuck off." He placed his hand on her back to shove her away.

The woman tensed up, a flash of terror appearing in her eyes for a split second. Eyes burning, she grabbed Sokka's arm and twisted it behind him. Sokka cried in pain and kicked back, causing her to let go.

"You bitch," he said, charging with his boomerang. The woman sidestepped his slash, kneeing him in the gut. He doubled back, a punch sending the boomerang flying. Calm returning to her, she kicked his legs from underneath and caught the falling weapon in his hand as Sokka collapsed onto the ground.

"Sokka!" Katara called, she and her mystery man brought back by the commotion. She ran over and knelt by her moaning brother.

The man merely sighed. "Not again. We can't go into a bar without Uncle where you don't piss someone off and get into a fight can we?"

"Me?" she responded annoyed. "Wasn't it you who got into a fight last week with those earthbender twins?" She smirked at his silence. "I backed you up because they had it coming. Besides, this didn't even qualify as a fight. Stupid Water Tribesman went down lick a sack of rice."

"Don't make fun of my tribe," Sokka slurred, but he was too drunk and too injured to sound convincing.

"You have a knack for getting into trouble don't you Sokka?" Katara mused, finding this quite amusing. "Sorry about him," she told the woman, who at second glance looked a lot like the man. "Do you know each other?"

"Yes," the man said. "This is my sister."

"Like she couldn't tell," his sister said sarcastically.

Katara let it slide. The woman probably saved Sokka from doing something stupid and dangerous. "You already met my brother, but I guess formal introductions are in order. I'm Katara," she said cheerfully. She was still grieving over Suki, but it was time to get their life back on track. "And this… eccentric here is my brother Sokka."

The man nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lee, and this is my sister Lin."

"Charmed," Lin added, not losing the sarcasm.

"Is she always like this?" Katara asked with a smirk.

"Is your brother always a moron?" There was no need for either of them to answer.

**A/N: So, the siblings finally meet. Did it satisfy everyone?**

**Regarding the prior history of Jet and Suki, it wasn't too relevant to the story as a whole so I kept it brief. In my thinking Sokka's relationship with Suki is like "The Kyoshi Warriors" and "The Serpent's Pass" all rolled into one, three yearlong saga that ended in an engagement. With Jet, I'd think the meeting was more like how Zuko met him in "The Serpent's Pass" rather than what happened in canon.**

**A Pilum was the Roman word for javelin. I'm using it here as the Fire Nation version of the musket; it is a bit more accurate and has a much longer range than muskets in reality. **

**Regarding Zuko, since he hasn't been searching for the Avatar for so long I'd view him as where he was in the lower-ring tea shop when they just arrived in Ba Sing Se. Don't worry, the brooding, angry man we all know and love will come soon. Azula though I think is spot on, adding in the secret fear.**

**Iroh, aka Mushi, is appearing next. Any suggestions on how it sould go? Want more of Sokka and Azula bickering? How about some Royal family time? How do you think they will react to Katara being the Avatar? And who will Sokka attack when they find out Lee, Lin, and Mushi's true identities? All coming up!**

**Be sure to review!**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	6. Chapter 2: Little Inn on the Prairie

**A/N: Hey all. Hope this finds you guys well.**

**This is sort of a filler chapter but has some key components for the plot. Trust me, the good stuff is coming soon between the Royals and the Water siblings, plus the formation of the KatGang (huh, huh? Any takers?).**

**Disclaimer: They belong to Bryke. Don't make me say it twice.**

**This chapter is for My Hazel Eyes.**

**Hope you guys like it. Be sure to review :)**

Chapter 2: Little Inn on the Prairie

The sun was approaching the horizon, bathing the paved road in shade. The forest was tranquil, except for Sokka's snores. Azula couldn't take it anymore. 'Damn Zuzu and his pathetic libido.' Once again her brother's pesky need to be a goody two shoes inconvenienced her; she preferred the moody, temperamental Zuko that was fun to tease. "Will you tell your oaf of a brother to shut up!" she snapped at Katara.

Shooting a glare at his sister, Zuko looked apologetically at Katara. "Sorry bout her." Azula rolled her eyes. 'Real subtle Zuzu.'

Katara laughed. "It's not a problem. He can be annoying can't he."

"Well in that case, do you mind shutting him up?" To say Zuko wasn't annoyed by him would be a lie.

"Gotcha." Raising her arm Katara brought it down with a thump on Sokka, the drunk warrior draped over their ostrich-horse. "Sokka, shut up! You'll wake the whole damn forest." Surprisingly he didn't wake up, only groaning and ending the snores.

Both Zuko and Azula stared. "How the hell?" Zuko wondered. Katara merely shrugged. Sokka's eccentricities puzzled her even after eighteen years.

"So where is this inn your uncle owns?" she wondered, feet beginning to tire. 'My blister's probably have blisters.' "If we've walked as much as I've thought we're probably in Fire Commissariat Gaoling by now.

"What's the matter? Can't take a little walking?" Azula said.

"I can walk just fine," Katara shot back, feeling her temper prickle. "It's being in an unfamiliar area that gets to me."

Azula looked back with a smirk. "Well well, looks like we've finally found someone with a temper to match yours brother."

"Temper?" Katara looked over at Lee who shifted his gaze to the woods. He'd been completely nice and polite since the bar, what temper.

"Oh yes, he can be a real hothead at times," Grinned Azula, enjoying seeing Zuko squirm.

"Shut up sister," he said gruffly, Katara raising her eyebrow. "We're here!" 'Thank Agni.'

Blinking, Katara took in the quaint little café and inn. "The Jasmine Dragon," she read above the door. "Looks like a nice place."

"Yep, it's my uncle's dream." Zuko smiled. "Just a warning, he's a bit eccentric." The firebender pushed open the door.

"Niece, nephew," called a jolly sounding voice from the inside. "Why did you take so long I was worried sick…" Katara saw a portly man shuffle into view, his thick beard grey with age but eyes twinkling with joviality. "Who is this? It isn't every day that my niece and nephew bring back a lovely young lady." Katara blushed modestly. "My name is Mushi, nice to meet you Miss…"

"Oh, my name is Katara. Nice to meet you too Mr. Mushi. The place looks wonderful."

"Why thank you. Now why would a young lady such as yourself be traveling alone?"

"She's not alone," Azula said, rolling her eyes. "She has a brother. He's sleeping off a hangover on the beast."

"Among other things Zuko added."

Mushi shook his head, chuckling. 'I like this man,' Katara thought. "It is not a problem. Lin, would you mind preparing a room for the young man while Lee and I bring him in?" The raven-haired girl opened her mouth to say something but quickly clammed up. Frowning, she slowly ascended the stairs. "Now Miss Katara, why don't you wait in the café. Once we are done I'll pour you some tea. People say it's the best tea in the entire Commissariat."

Katara smiled. "That sounds lovely."

"If you want I could teach you how to make it for your travels."

"Don't do it," she heard Lee say, the boy shaking his head frantically. "He's obsessed with tea."

"I wouldn't say obsessed nephew, only holding a healthy appreciation." He tipped Katara a wink as he headed out.

For the young Avatar it finally felt good to relax.

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Walking onto the front porch, Katara breathed in the fresh air of the forest. Dinner had been wonderful, and Mushi did prepare a good cup of tea. 'It felt just like home with dad, Gran-Gran, and mo…' A stray tear fell down her cheek at the thought of her mother. Seeing the way Mushi interacted with his niece and nephew, no matter how annoyed they were by it, just made her yearn for the family dynamic.

It was then that Katara realized she wasn't alone, call it Avatar intuition or whatever. Glancing to her left she saw Lee staring at the moon. "Hi there," she said softly.

Lee turned to look at her, his kind demeanor from earlier gone. Now though he looked a bit brooding, sullen even.

She tried again. "I just want to tell you thanks, for letting Sokka and I stay here."

"It's not a busy time of year. Uncle is happy to have customers."

"Still, thanks. We were in a very bad way when you and your sister found us."

He looked at her. "Lin told me about your brother. Did he lose someone close to him, a fiancée maybe? She did see that betrothal necklace."

Katara bit her lip. "Yes. She was killed by a high ranking man with sideburns." She didn't know why but something about this man led her to trust him.

Surprisingly his face curled into a snarl. "My sister was right. It was that bastard."

"You know who he is?"

'Crap.' "It's not hard to pick up his reputation, it's rather infamous," Zuko backtracked. "High Admiral Zhao, the High Minister of the Provinces. His brutality is legend."

"Really?" Katara pondered it for a moment. "Kind of flattering he came after us." She frowned sadly. "Suki didn't deserve to die like that."

"No one does, but they do anyway. Such is our lot in the Empire. You just experienced it personally."

"But you must have too." Staring at Lee, Katara saw the boy immediately tense.

"I didn't."

"But your scar. I've healed many wounds and I recognize a firebending burn when I see it." Katara stepped towards him with a look of concern. She wanted to know, felt some kind of pull to know about this mysterious family that saved her and her brother. "What happened Lee? Did the Empire do this to you? Did it have to do with why your Uncle is raising you and Lin?" Softly, she reached upward to feel the marred, red flesh.

Immediately a strong hand enveloped her arm. "Don't. Touch. Me," he growled. For the first time Katara felt afraid. His golden eyes were blazing, hot breath escaping his nostrils like steam, and his hand grew hotter and hotter. 'A firebender?'

"Urgh!" he snarled and released her, stomping back into the Jasmine Dragon. 'What just happened?' she thought to herself. There was something mysterious about this family, something she just wasn't seeing.

A deep yawn interrupted Katara's thoughts. "Oh well," she mused. "It can wait until tomorrow." With that she headed to her room.

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_Katara found herself on the same mountain as before, but unlike earlier the clouds were calm, the wind a gentle breeze. Also she was able to find her voice. "Hello?" she called out into the emptiness. "Is anyone there?"_

_Suddenly a large gust of air passed by her head. Katara closed her eyes and stood her ground until the roaring dissipated. When she opened them though she gasped; Katara was no longer alone. _

"_Hello Katara," said the familiar young boy, though this time his eyes and tattoos lacked their usual glow. He was a normal kid, dressed in yellow and orange robes and eyes twinkling with amity. "It is nice to meet you at last."_

"_Where…" she gulped. "Where am I?"_

_The boy chuckled. "You are in the Spirit World. Only the most spiritual or gifted among us can enter, either by way of dreams or meditation." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Aang by the way."_

_Put at ease by his obvious sincerity, Katara smiled back and shook his hand. "You already know my name so that's moot." They both chuckled. "So what type of spirit are you?"_

"_Spirit?" Aang laughed. "No no, I am your most recent past Avatar." A grin grew as he watched Katara's mouth drop. "I wanted Roku to do this but he said you'd react better with me. Something about my inherent innocent charm. Whatta you know, it's working." The cheeky grin grew wider._

"_But, but, you're just a kid," she blurted out. "I thought you'd be much older."_

"_Yep, twelve years young." He continued to smile but Katara could tell the pain in his eyes. She didn't push it however. "All of that will be discussed at the proper time, but for now I need to tell you something. Something important." Katara listened with wide eyes. "There is a grave danger that will befall the world in the near future. You must begin the path to harness your Avatar powers as soon as possible."_

_Even though she had spent her life preparing for this moment Katara was hesitant to believe him. "Now? But how?" Suki was dead, Sokka a drunk mess, Jet captured, and they were thousands of miles from any place that knew them._

_Aang smiled. "Open your eyes. You will find what you seek." Reaching forward, he gently placed his fingers on her forehead._

_The vision disappeared in a wave of blue light._

Sweeping the hallway of the inn before heading to bed himself, Zuko whistled one of Uncles's annoying but catchy traveling songs when a glow underneath one of the guest rooms caught his attention. 'Why would a light come out of… Katara's room?' Though he had just met the girl Zuko was worried, plus feeling guilty at the way he acted earlier. The scar and his mother was still a touchy subject to him as it was to Azula as well. His shame and temper just got the better of him.

Cautiously he opened the door and peeked inside.

Whatever he expected seeing the Water Tribe Girl lying in bed with her eyes glowing pure white wasn't one of them. "Sweet Agni," he murmured.

"Snooping on the guests Zuzu?" Azula smirked, standing next to him. "Didn't mother teach you not to intru…" Her jaw dropped at the sight. Nothing much fazed the calm and confident princess but a Water Tribe girl with her eyes glowing sure did. "What did you do to her?" she immediately asked.

"Me?" Zuko closed the door so as not to disturb her. "Why do you always assume I did something?!"

"Because you have a tendency to act that way," she replied coolly. "What's the matter? Did you try to kiss her and she pushed you away? Did your temper flare up again?"

Zuko's cheeks flushed bright crimson. "What? No!" It wasn't true but it struck close to home. "You're insane. It would be like me asking if you made out with her brother."

Now it was her turn to flush red. "Don't be ridiculous Zuzu," she said, but instead of exuding confidence she practically squeaked. She quickly scowled. "Don't change the subject. What happened?"

"Oh, oh, oh." Both turned and saw Iroh walking towards them. "Why must we fight dearest niece and nephew? Shouldn't we rather bury the hatchet?" Knowing the traditional lack of closeness in the Royal Family Iroh made it a point to diffuse any argument no matter how slight, keep the family together. With Zuko's furious temper and Azula's caustic wit he had to do it a lot.

"No, we aren't fighting uncle," Azula replied, calming down. "Something's the matter with Miss Katara though."

Iroh's face turned serious. Wordlessly he peeked inside. When he came out his face was white, as if he saw a spirit. "Her eyes are glowing." It came out in a hoarse croak.

"What could that mean uncle?" Zuko asked the sitting old man. "Could this be some kind of Water Tribe thing?"

"Oh sure Zuzu," Azula said sarcastically. "I'm sure all Water Tribesmen can glow their eyes ice blue. Kya used to do that every night to help us sleep." She smirked at his glare.

"I don't understand it," Iroh mumbled. "No person can emit that divine-like glow except… but Zuko killed that spirit."

"What spirit?!" 'What is uncle talking about?' He didn't kill a spirit.

Azula let out a laugh. "Zuzu kill a spirit, that's rich. He couldn't kill a Sabre-tooth Moose-Lion."

"Not you Zuko, your great-uncle, Fire Lord Sozin's son."

Both siblings furrowed their brows. "Zuko the Great? The Crown Prince before the start of the Imperial War," the former Princess recited from memory. "He led the glorious charge to eliminate the Air Nomads before they could mount an attack on the Fire Nation but he died gloriously after murdering the Ava…" Her eyes went wide.

Zuko wasn't far behind her. "The glowing eyes. Katara is the Avatar."

"It would appear that is the only explanation," Iroh said flatly. "More lies from my brother's henchmen, though it raises questions; this lie dated to before even my father was born."

"So the newest customer to our inn is the Avatar herself," Azula mused. "Where do we go from here?"

A smile graced Iroh's face. "Remember what I told you three years ago?"

The royal siblings looked at each other. "Don't leaf me, I'm bushed?" Zuko offered.

"Look for the fluffy cloud with a silver lining?" Azula answered.

Groaning, Iroh shook his head. "No, that things always have a reason for happening and that Agni and the Creator always have a set path for you? Well I know what They want from you Prince Zuko and you Princess Azula."

"Which is?"

"You are going to teach the Avatar Firebending and how to defeat the Emperor."

Yet again the siblings were floored. "But that's treason," Azula breathed. Dissention was punishable by death in the Empire. As part of the royal family all three of them had seen what Ozai had planned. By the end of this century he had determined to make it impossible for any of his subjects to defy him, make sure the walls all had ears. The Dai Li had been getting frighteningly close.

"Yes it is," Iroh replied cryptically. "That is the law of this land. However as a wise man once said: It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all."

"How can you say that about father?" Azula said. "How can you call him unjust?"

Iroh had a feeling this would happen. 'Zuko has already come to terms with my brother's hatred. Azula must too.' "Princess Azula. Your father, my brother is not like your mother, or even your grandfather. I don't know why but he has no earthy desire other than seeking power and projecting it onto others. He has sold his humanity to attain that. Look around you, look at the world. Forget balance, it is mired in darkness and death. The Avatar is the only person who can rescue the world from this evil."

"Zula," Zuko said, clasping her on the shoulder. Azula didn't shrink away. She trusted only four people in the entire world to touch her scar, with or without clothes: Zuko, Iroh, Ursa, and Kya. "Uncle is right. Much as it pains me to say it he is right."

Azula turned to look at her brother, settling on his scar. In a way his pain was worse than hers. While she could cover up her scar and the feelings it represented he would be forced to wear it conspicuously for the rest of his life. Only he could understand what she was going through and vice versa. 'My own father hates me. He burned me but I still defend him. Nice Azula, nice.'

For the two siblings Iroh had been more a father to them than Ozai ever was. With his guidance they had seen the dreary life of the regular Empire, were able to unravel the debauchery and villainous atmosphere of court. If anyone understood the need to defeat Ozai it was them, his children or not.

"Alright. I don't like it, but I don't see what else we can do."

"Agreed." Zuko looked at her and then chuckled. "It's going to be fun seeing how you deal with the Water Tribesman."

Instead of riling her like he thought a smirk soon formed on her face.

"What Zula?" Zuko asked.

"I'm just wondering how long it'll take the male peasant to attack you when we reveal our true selves."

**A/N: So there you have it. Aang finally returns!**

**Hope you enjoyed the little adaptation of Zuko's conversation in "The Cave of Two Lovers." I can imagine Katara going for it (plus Song in the series was a bit forward and I wanted to keep that going); subtlety is not her forte in the story, though she does exhibit more care than say Toph. Even with his little crush it'll take a lot more to open up.**

**The way I see it both Zuko and Azula are at the point Zuko was in "The Guru." Yes, he ended up regressing in "The Crossroads of Destiny," but in here there is no possibility of forgiveness by Ozai. The Emperor banished them with no hope of being redeemed so they both see no other alternative than to listen to Iroh. Three years can change anyone.**

**Anyway, for those of you who wanted some deep emotion fret not. It will all come in due course. Neither of the siblings would open up quickly.**

**Up next, Iroh reveals the family to Katara and Sokka, we get to see what happened to two cannon characters, and Sokka has his defining moment. **

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	7. Chapter 3: Royals

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry this is late. I originally wanted to post it last night but some stuff got in the way. Anyway it's ready.**

**A big moment is here, the fire siblings revealing themselves. I hope you like it. **

**Also we see what happens with Lu Ten and one other ATLA favorite, though you might not like the situation. Remember, everyone good is screwed in the Eternal Phoenix Empire, while the baddies live like kings. But the bad always get their comeuppance in the end ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. If I did there wouldn't have been that crappy movie version. That was a disgrace to the brand ;)**

**This chapter is for Rae-Ten :)**

**Enjoy and please review. Any review will get a sneak peek of the next chapter.**

Chapter 3: Royals

High Admiral and newly appointed High Master of the Provinces Zhao was enjoying a quiet day in his office at the Palace in Fabius Major. He had every reason to be in a good mood: his position as the de facto lord of the former Earth Kingdom was secure, he had a free hand from the Emperor, the pesky bandits had been dealt with personally, and his mistress for this province had just left him quite satisfied.

Zhao's mind drifted to the female bandit that killed herself rather than be his latest mistress. "Foolish girl. I would have had fun with her." Though he was disappointed not to have had the brown-haired girl in his bed, it mattered not. She was dead, there were plenty of fish in the sea, and he'd enjoy reliving her death with the little souvenir he brought.

"My Lord."

Zhao's head rose to see his wife in the doorway, head bowed and eyes planted to the floor in submission. "What do you want Ty Lee?" he hissed. "You know I am not to be disturbed."

The once bubbly woman knew that. Zhao had instructed her the penalty of disobedience the night of their wedding. "I know my Lord, but you have a visitor."

"Have one of the servants handle it, and get rid of that ridiculous pink dress." While she was one of the most stunning women in the Imperial Court (Zhao liked them young) and her parents coming from the top of Fire Nation and Latin-Semite nobility, her bizarre taste in style irked him to no end. "It demeans us both."

'Like you have any decency to demean you worm,' she thought, keeping her face impassive. "I will my Lord, but the visitor is too important to snub."

"Who?" Only someone of equal standing required a man's wife to greet him.

"High General Dora my Lord."

Zhao groaned, knowing this wasn't going to be pleasant. "Very well Ty Lee, let him in."

To say Dora was furious was not saying much. Meeting Zhao, a man he considered no better than an insect, was bad enough. Ty Lee's mother was his cousin, and if he hadn't been putting down a rebellion he'd have killed the marriage. Watching her broken made his heart ache; the poor girl deserved far better than that shit.

However, the situation now was even worse. Zhao had left a mess for him to clean, and Dora hated cleaning up other people's messes. "Tell me Zhao." Titles meant nothing. In the strict hierarchy of Fire Nation culture, the two were equals. "Do you have any shred of intelligence?"

"I'd be careful of what you say Dora."

"Oh please, you can't even handle a woman your own age let alone me," he mocked. "When there's a situation involving sedition you don't antagonize the populace further! What did you need the money for? A second solid-gold latrine?" The High Admiral's excesses were legend in court.

"I have no reason to expose my personal matters to the likes of you. Besides, I handled the problem." Zhao gestured to the 'Souvenir.'

Dora wanted to vomit, but he held himself. "Taking down a band of highwaymen is beyond the responsibility of a High Admiral. There's an army numbering in the tens of thousands in the woods that you let form."

"I shall deal with them myself."

"No you won't." Dora thrust a leaf of paper at him. "This is His Divine Majesty's order giving me power to crush the revolt. Enjoy your fifteen-year old mistresses Zhao." He said, leaving. "The real men will save your domain."

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Mind still spinning from last night's vision, Katara padded downstairs dressed in her blue water tribe shirt and trousers. The smell of breakfast wafted into her nostrils from the dining room. "Mmmm."

Sitting at the table were Lee and Lin, both clad in the standard brown of the assimilated subject. "Morning guys," Katara said cheerfully.

"Morning," Zuko replied. Azula nodded.

The blue-eyed Avatar eyed them suspiciously. Something was off about the two, they weren't the same friendly but angry and sarcastic but aloof characters they had been. 'Something's up.'

"Morning Miss Katara," announced Mushi as he entered the room, a tray of food in his hands. "Eat up, for breakfast is here!"

Katara was famished and it showed. "Yum, jook," she said, noticing the white porridge. However there was also a plate of yellowy liquid speckled with herbs. "But what's this?"

"Olive oil, imported from the Fire Nation itself." He pushed it toward her. "Dip the bread in it. It's a Latin-Semite staple, very good."

His infectious grin was good enough endorsement for her. Slowly, she broke of a piece of warm bread with a crunchy crust and soft inside and dipped it in the oil. Eating it, she nodded. "Mmm, delicious."

At that point a groaning Sokka emerged into the room. He was a mess, eyes bloodshot, head hung low, and nose a purplish black blister from Azula's fist. The siblings both smirked while Katara giggled.

"Hahaha, my pain is funny to you sister I see," he said sarcastically, collapsing into a chair.

"Oh here, stop your whining." Knowing that Lee already knew she was a waterbender, she bended some out of a pitcher and covered his face. The water glowed as the bending began to repair the damage slowly but surely.

After about five minutes she pulled away. "There, good as new." She grinned and admired her handiwork. 'Not bad at all.'

Finally able to breathe for the first time since before meeting Azula, Sokka did feel much better. However his eyes bugged out in realization. "Katara! You used your bending, here?"

"They already know Sokka, stop being dramatic," she said with a roll of her eyes. Even if he were the idea man she could think for herself.

"How, did you tell them?"

"I figured it out," said Zuko. He didn't know why but didn't like that Sokka was yelling at Katara.

"And how would you know? You've probably never seen a waterbender in your life."

"Oh please, a bender can tell," Azula said. This was as good a time as any to let it all out.

"Zula shut up," Zuko hissed so only she could hear him.

"What are you talking about?" asked Katara. She could tell something was about to drop, something big.

"Let me my niece and nephew," Iroh interjected with a jovial smile. "What my niece means is that we can distinguish between the various bending forms because we are benders ourselves, specifically firebenders."

"Firebenders?" Katara was floored. Rule number one they had taught her was to stay away from firebenders. Though Jee and the settlers back home were decent people the Dai Li had informers everywhere.

Sokka instinctively stepped back, hand drifting to his dagger just in case.

"Yes firebenders," Azula continued for her uncle. "And don't act so scared since as the Avatar you are one too." Katara gasped, Sokka's eyes widened, Zuko glared at her sister, and Iroh sighed. "Oh don't look so angry Zuzu. We were going to tell her we know anyway. I just spared the boring pleasantries first."

The dagger came out. "How the hell do you know?!" Sokka yelled, ready to defend his sister to the death. He may have lost Suki but he wasn't going to lose Katara to the Fire Fuckers if he could help it.

Azula raised her voice to speak but a gesture form Iroh silenced her. The jovial old man approached the petrified Katara, likely thinking she was a dead woman. "Please don't be afraid Miss Katara. We mean no harm."

"Yeah right!" Sokka snarled, but to his surprise Katara moved from behind him.

"You understand it would be hard to trust someone in this environment," she said cautiously.

"Katara what are you doing?" Sokka whispered.

Iroh smiled. "Yes, I know. To answer your question we noticed your eyes glowing last night. I hope your journey to the Spirit World was an enjoyable one."

"Wait! Spirit what!"

"Shut up Sokka," Katara shot back, sick of his stupid comments. "You saw that?"

"Yes, only the Avatar can perform such feats. However, I think this happened for a reason."

Aang's words came back to her. "_Open your eyes. You will find what you seek."_ 'They are firebenders…'

"I'm afraid we have been less than truthful about our identities young ones, but due to our banishment from the Fire Nation proper I hope you can forgive us."

"Banishment?" Katara was confused and inherently suspicious. "Just who are you?"

Iroh bowed to them. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Prince Iroh, son of Fire Lord Azulon, Dragon of the West and High General of the Royal Armies. And they are my niece and nephew, Princess Azula and Crown Prince Imperial Zuko of the Empire."

There was silence for a moment before Sokka started laughing. "I'm sorry… but… a couple of… inn owners as Imperial Royalty." Here he was worried over a bunch of lunatics.

"Don't you dare insult me peasant!" Azula snarled, Zuko restraining her. 'She isn't usually this vicious with others.'

"Much as my brother has to learn in manners," Katara said, "That is a tall tale to believe," though part of her knew he was telling the truth.

"A little skepticism is warranted," Iroh replied. "Allow me to show you this." He removed a small portrait from his robe and handed it to the siblings.

Both studied it closely. There was a small family of four. Two children sat at the feet of their parents, both looking like a young Lee and Lin; to the upper right was a beautiful woman that looked uncannily like Lin. However it was the man that clinched it. Even though this was realist to the stylized god likenesses that they knew him from, the ordinary looking man in the picture was none other than the Emperor himself.

'Only one group of people could have this painting, the Royal Family.' "It's true," Katara murmured, the whole moment surreal.

Once more the knife was out, leveled at the Royal siblings. "Get back Katara! They'll ship you to the Emperor!"

"If we wanted to give you to father we would have done so while you were asleep," Azula remarked dryly.

"That's just what he would want you to say!" While Katara was still shocked his remarks sounded stupid.

"I'm afraid it's true, much as I hate to admit my sister is right." Zuko let out an "ooph" as Azula elbowed him in the gut. Katara suppressed a smirk, the quip and following move a good mood lightener. "As I was saying none of us are really welcome in the Imperial Court." His hand subconsciously rose to touch his eyelid, Azula's doing the same with her shoulder.

While this intrigued Katara she noticed Iroh shaking his head. Sokka was unconvinced. "You think we can trust the family of the Emperor! How dumb do you think we are?"

"That's just it Mr. Sokka, we wish to help the Avatar any way possible," Iroh replied.

Before any could respond a sharp knock came at the door. Darting to open it, Iroh found a worn young man on the other side. "Excuse me sir, but are you open?"

"Of course. The Jasmine Dragon is open to all weary travelers. May I ask your name?"

Katara looked and spotted a tall, well-muscled man in traditional Earth Kingdom green and khaki.

"My name is Haru."

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"GO! GO! GO!" As the soldiers of the elite Airborne Legion rappelled down from the massive airship, Colonel Lu Ten followed them. He had orders from General Dora himself to occupy the site and turn it into an airship base like the others, and per the Royal prerogative he was to lead from the front rather than safe in the airship.

The wind whipping in the Southern Mountains would have chilled a normal person to the bone, but to a firebender like Lu Ten it was no hardship. "Spread out! Form a perimeter and search the buildings!"

"Yes sir!" chorused the troopers. _Pila_, swords, and bending at the ready they followed with professional expertise. The Airborne Legion wasn't the elite of the Imperial Army for nothing.

Lu Ten took in his surroundings. Apart from the chatter and barking from the soldiers the crags and cavernous buildings that made up the ruins of the Southern Air Temple was a chilling sight. Somewhere here the great Crown Prince Zuko, his great uncle, died in his triumphant battle with the Avatar that began the Subjugation War. The scars of battle were still visible even a century later.

His thoughts drifted to his cousins and father. He missed them terribly, knowing his beloved aunt Ursa had never really been the same since their banishment. 'May Agni protect them,' he prayed.

A curious sight though took his attention. It was a small firepit. He kneeled and took it in. It didn't seem ancient like the others, the ashes seeming recently made. A few feet away was a large tuft of white fur. 'Strange.'

"Sir." Lu Ten looked up to see Centurion Marcius staring at him. "Sir, the area is deserted. Shall we unload the equipment and engineers?"

'Screw it. It's probably nothing anyway.' "Yes Centurion. Get it done!"

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Katara watched as the young man began devouring the plate of sticky rice in front of him, well-mannered but still voracious.

"My my young man," Iroh stated with a chuckle. "When was the last time you had a good sized meal?"

Haru took a sip of his tea to wash down the rice. "Too long sir. Riding from Gaoling to Omashu without rest forces you to travel light."

"True, believe me I know," Katara said, smiling at him. In the hours since he showed up at their doorstep she had learned a lot about Haru. For one he was an earthbender and it fascinated her. To be able and keep their distinct identity rather than fall under the Willful Subjugation crap that most of the Fire Nation and Ba Sing Se did earned her respect. 'Could he be a potential earthbending teacher?' Now that Aang told her that it was time it was vital that she think about it.

"This rice is delicious sir."

"Thank you. Miss Katara helped me with it."

Haru smiled at her. "Well then thanks are in order Katara."

Katara blushed. "I only helped a little bit."

Two golden eyes glared at him. For Zuko he didn't much like this guy. He was just too… nice, lacked a killer instinct.

"Jealous Zuzu?" Azula whispered in his ear with a smirk.

"What?" The implication dawned on him and he flushed red. "No. Agni, why must you be so irritating."

"Because it's fun." Her smile turned into frown. "Ugh, that water peasant is still glaring at me." Sokka hadn't stopped giving them a look to kill since the announced their true identities, as if they would kill the water tribe siblings as soon as their backs turned.

"Maybe he likes you," Zuko grinned, turning the tables.

Azula snorted, but the Prince knew he had one-upped her.

"So tell me," said Iroh as he sat down. "Why were you traveling from Omashu?"

Haru perked up, as if he was proud. "I'm a dispatch rider for the Rebel army forming up to the west of here." Talking with them had convinced him that they were sympathizers.

"Wait," Sokka asked, leaning in intently. "You're saying an entire rebel army is gathering in the forest south of here?"

"Yep," Haru grinned. "Eight legions worth, mix of locals, guys like me, Fire Nation settlers. My father is with them." He looked proud to be part of the rebellion. "We're led by a former Earth Kingdom general and outnumber the local provincial garrison 20-1. Gaoling and Fabius Major will be liberated within the month."

"Wow," Sokka replied. 'Finally, something big happening against the Emperor. I could avenge Suki.' At last the grief he had was replaced with a white hot flame. He needed vengeance, he craved it.

"And we could always use more troops. I'm sure a waterbender, two firebenders, and a trained warrior would be a perfect addition to our ranks."

The moment was shattered by a dry chuckling. "Oh you are so misguided," Azula said in an insulting tone. "Your little rebellion will be stomped into the ground."

Sokka glared at her. 'Who does this Royal think she is?' In his opinion she was probably rooting for the Empire to win along with Jerkbender.

Haru's optimism though wasn't fazed. "I don't think so Miss Lin. The forces are not just the old Earth Kingdom armies swept aside in Ba Sing Se. Our leaders are training us in perfect Imperial Tactics."

"Useless if facing hardened troops." Zuko interjected. "They will have years of experience and formal training before that. Unless your rebels fully comprehend the psyche of modern warfare they will not survive a battle."

"And you are a fool if you think you will have an actual advantage." Azula's voice was a borderline sneer. "With the Imperial intelligence net as it is Dora is likely coming, and he will grind you down into the dust."

Silent for now, Katara couldn't help but notice the firm conviction and fear in the Royal siblings. They knew the rebellion was going to fail and also hoped neither her nor Sokka would join. Couple this with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Empire allowed Katara to make her decision.

"I'm sorry Haru. Though we wish you all the luck in the world and will pray for the rebellion's success, I'm afraid we won't be joining."

The earthbender seemed let down but not in any bad straits. Sokka however was gaping at his sister. Zuko was shocked and even Azula had wide eyes. Both figured that due to the brother's behavior she'd want to leave immediately.

Iroh however was the perfect host. "So Haru, would you like another cup of tea?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No sir." He said, rising. "I best be heading back to camp. Thank you for the meal though, and good luck on your travels." He shook the hand of each of them, lingering for a moment with Katara. "Good luck Katara."

"Thank you Haru," she replied. "Stay safe."

He grinned. "Oh I plan on it."

"Alright," Zuko said, cutting in. "It'll get dark soon. I'll help you with your mount." Guiding him out Zuko looked back to see the wink Azula shot him. He shot her a glare which only made her wink again.

Once Haru was gone Sokka marched to his sister. "I can't even…" Huffing he shut his mouth and stormed upstairs, brushing past Azula.

"Sokka wait," Katara called, only to be stopped by Iroh's hand on her shoulder.

"Give him some time. It is all a bit too much to process, I know."

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Tiptoeing quietly through the halls, Sokka tried to make as little noise as possible. While in his experience firebenders weren't as attentive at night it was better not to take that risk. 'If Katara wants to trust her life to the children of that monster then it's fine with me.' She had always been too trusting of people, too compassionate. 'As if being the Avatar makes her the almighty judge of character.'

Reaching outside, he hitched a saddle onto the ostrich-horse when a voice interrupted him. "What in La's name are you doing Sokka?" hissed Katara in a low whisper. "They show us great kindness and you steal from them?" She gestures to the animal.

"They are Imperial Royalty. Consider it their contribution to the war effort," he shot back.

"You are so full of it Sokka. What do you think? That by joining the rebels you're going to sweep the undefeated Imperial Army from the field, waltz right into Crater City, and then depose the Emperor? If you do you're stupider than I thought!"

Unable to sleep, Zuko had given up and headed downstairs for a snack when he heard the muffled voices outside. Leaning his ear against the door, he began to listen.

"And what about you huh? Trusting the children of the Emperor! They'll hand you over to the authorities as soon as they can!"

"Zuko and Azula won't," Katara said. "They were banished remember."

'How gullible could she be?' "And what better way to get back into the Emperor's good graces than to give him the Avatar? How can you trust them?"

Katara thought back to her visions, to what Aang said. "I just do."

"How? They killed Suki, they killed mom!"

"Mom isn't dead!" Katara yelled, tears appearing at remembering her mom. She refused to believe that. "She is alive!"

Zuko's eyes widened. 'Two siblings, a boy my age and a girl Azula's age.' The girl a waterbender, from the Southern Water Tribe. 'Could it be?'

"Wake up Katara. Mom is dead. That bastard Governor Yahn Rah probably raped her and killed her." It was killing him to say that, killing him to see Katara in pain but he came to that realization long ago. It was time for her to face reality.

'Yahn Rah!' That clinched it for Zuko. 'It is her!'

"She died a long time ago Katara, by the same fire-fuckers that you are trusting."

She was on the verge of tears. "I know Sokka! I know the Empire has destroyed our family, but that should tell you something. That I trust these two."

Sokka snorted. "Whatever." He was done with having to deal with Miss Perfect while everything he loved and cared about died. "You can stay with Jerkbender and Miss Crazy. I'm going to actually fight for our freedom." Mounting the animal, he gave it a nudge and took off into the night.

Katara stared at the retreating form, wondering where it all went wrong. Was this the last time she would ever see her brother alive?

Footsteps behind her caused the young Avatar to swivel around, water already coming out of her waterskin. At seeing who it was she relaxed "Zuko?"

The banished Prince held his hands up. "Relax, I'm not trying to attack you."

She blushed embarrassingly and returned the water to its place. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough. I know you need to get him back."

"Yes." Katara groaned in despair. "What am I going to do? He's dead set on not trusting you or Azula."

"If I were him I wouldn't trust us either," Zuko replied truthfully. "But I think I know something that would help." He took a deep breath as he looked Katara in the eye. "About your mother, would her name happen to be Kya?"

He knew he was right when her eyes went wide.

**A/N: Kaboom! It begins!**

**Don't worry, the big talk between the two siblings will happen in the next chapter. I'm sure with this knew knowledge Zuko and Azula can convince Sokka that they can be trusted. **

**So what does the campfire and fur that Lu Ten found mean? Coming up.**

**Poor Ty Lee. She couldn't catch a break could she? In Roman culture arranged marriages were the norm, and it was common to have older men marry younger women for political gain. Since Ty Lee is from a noble family I'd imagine a pretender like Zhao being very interested. Sick bastard.**

**Next up, Sokka is in for a rude awakening.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	8. Chapter 4: Battlefields

**A/N: Hi guys. It was my birthday on Wednesday. I turned 22!**

**Anyway, here is the new chapter. Big stuff happens especially regarding Sokka.**

**I got a lot of heat from rude guest reviewers about my portrayal of Sokka. I want to clear it up. One, yes he lost Suki and seems to be the only one who cares but in the Empire one cannot grieve for too long. Also yes he's acting like a buffoon but didn't he do so on the show as well? Didn't Katara call him out on it? I was leading up to this chapter to really hammer everything home to him.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA anymore than the guy hanging out at the corner saying he was lobotomized by the CIA did.**

**Important note: I don't usually want to go into politics on this site, but sometimes issues come up that can't be ignored. I just want to say to my fellow Americans, who besides me is fed up with that bonehead Donald Trump? Attacking vets, Latinos, POWs, and basically everyone else does not a presidential candidate make. I also think his saying that any smart, respectable woman that questions him or asks him a tough question on his statements must be on her period (not making this up) is reprehensible. As a man who respects woman I am ashamed and disgusted. I've had to change my twitter account when his supporters ( ones that routinely make racist statements) and actually compared me to Hamas, the Communist Party, and called me borderline retarded. Methinks he doth been offended **_**too**_** much. #DumpTrump #TakeOutTheTrash**

**This chapter is for CrueFan21 :)**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter 4: Battlefields

"Wait. You know what happened to my mother?!" Katara practically yelled at Zuko and Azula. "Tell me!"

"It is not something that should be discussed here," Zuko replied cryptically, throwing a sack of provisions onto the carriage.

Katara was ready to freeze someone to a tree. "What the hell does that…"

"What Zuzu meant," Azula interjected. "And if it wasn't for his lack of tact he'd have said, is that this is better said talking with your brother."

"But isn't he with the rebels?" A low rumbling a few miles away resonated through the forest clearing.

Zuko glanced to the west. "By the sound of that the battle has already begun. If your brother has any sense he'll stay back and wait on the sidelines."

"If being the correct word to use," Azula added with a smirk. Her mind playing out all the scenarios her brother could find himself killed, Katara sank back in the carriage, praying to the Creator, Tui, and La to protect Sokka.

Staring at her, Zuko felt slightly worried for Katara. Despite their bickering if it wasn't for his sister he'd have gone insane long ago. He'd have been a mess if he were in Katara's position.

Speaking of his sister, "Hard to imagine that girl is the Avatar."

"She's strong Zula." He looked at Azula who had a raised eyebrow. "I'm serious."

The princess shrugged. "Well you'd have to be in Father's world, but she's still way too much a kindly goody two shoes. No killer instinct."

"Unlike you right?" Zuko could read his sister like a book, one of the few who could.

Azula grinned. "Why naturally." There was a pause. "You too to some extent."

Zuko blinked. For Azula that was as strong a complement as she gave.

"Alright." Both turned to see Iroh walking up to them. "I've brewed all of you some tea for the road, all you need to do is heat it up with your firebending."

"Thank you uncle," said Zuko, taking the large metal canteens.

Iroh motioned them to move to the side. "Prince Zuko, Princess Azula. You need to listen to me right now. Nothing is done without a reason or a purpose. I have no doubt that you two were brought her by Agni and the Creator to meet the Avatar right at the beginning of her true journey." Both siblings listened intently, knowing when Iroh was being cute and winsome and when he was serious. "It is up to you to help guide the Avatar, prepare her not just in firebending but to defeat the Emperor and free the world from tyranny."

"We understand uncle."

Sighing, Iroh felt decades older than his over half-century on the earth. "My niece and nephew, you will be undertaking a spiritual journey unlike any other. It will be tough and you will learn things that conflict with all you thought before but I know you can do it." Tears came to his eyes. "You know, with Lu Ten always across the world with his commands, I've always thought of you two as my other children."

Zuko held back tears of his own while a single bead dropped from Azula's eye. Neither wanted to cry, both for dignity and not to break down. For their entire lives the only real father they knew, the male role model who loved and cared for them, was Iroh. The three embraced for nearly a minute.

Katara watched from the wagon. The scene brought to mind her father, the love only he could bestow on her. 'Glad they have Iroh. If the Emperor actually cared about them…" A shudder coursed through her. "La help us all."

Soon though it was time to head off. "Remember your non-bending skills Zuko," Iroh kept saying, worry in his voice. "Never underestimate your opponent Azula. Both of you remember your breath of fire on cold nights."

"Uncle," Azula said. "We're fine."

"I know," Iroh whispered, more to himself than anything. "Good luck. Avatar Katara?" Katara looked at him. "Listen to your past selves. The wisdom of generations past lies inside you. Heed it."

The vision of Aang came to mind. "Don't worry General Iroh, I shall." She turned to the siblings in the front seats. "So where to?"

Azula stared in the direction of the now booming sounds. "The battle is that way. How do you suppose your brother would reach it?"

Katara didn't even need to think. "He'd charge right in." The way she saw him, angry Sokka was in control, and the anger made him brash and foolish.

"Well then, time's a waiting. Yah!" Zuko exulted, cracking the reins.

Watching the wagon disappear into the woods, Iroh wiped the tears pooling in his eyes. "Agni be with you." A small smile came to him. "At the end of this I could have both a son and a daughter-in-law." He made his way back into the inn with a soft chuckle on his lips.

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Lost, he was lost. "Damn this map!" Sokka yelled at the empty landscape, crumpling the piece of paper and throwing it in the mud. The thunder of field guns seemed to resonate everywhere but he couldn't see where it was exactly.

"Why damn it. Why!" he hollered at the sky but there was no answer. The anger and thirst for immediate vengeance for Suki's death had cooled somewhat, and the "Idea Guy" part of him was back. 'Did I screw up? Could Katara have been right?'

Suddenly, whoops and jeers picked up to the south. Sokka swiveled his head around to spot a wagon barrel out of a clearing at full speed, the back loaded with looted goods. Confused, he sent the ostrich-horse into a trot.

With the roars of the battlefield almost deafening, the warrior came upon a large country estate, one that would be occupied by a local landowner or a rich transplant from Ba Sing Se or the Fire Nation. 'Good place to loot if any.' Figuring it was the closest way to the fighting Sokka readied his boomerang and stepped inside, quickly making his way toward an upstairs study.

Roars, drums, and fifes resonated through the room as Sokka crept slowly to the door. 'I am not afraid, I am not afraid, I am not afraid.' The untamable shaking in his hands told a different story.

Reaching the tinted bay window he drew a glimpse of the battlefield. Row upon row of rebel troops marched forward in what seemed to be good order, pendants flying and _pila_ held at the ready. The banners of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and even a few scattered Water Tribe ones predominated among the motley force. With barely a sixth of the strength deployed Sokka scoffed at how the Imperial Army could survive this.

However upon closer look his bravado and hope sank. The Imperial forces may have been outnumbered but they made the rebel forces look like tyros by comparison. Their ranks, their discipline, their armor, even their iron faces in the face of overwhelming odds stuck out to him. 'I have a bad feeling about this.' Thousands upon thousands of troops were ready to clash in front of him and Sokka realized at that point he wanted no part of it.

Turning to leave, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Azula was standing right behind him, arms crossed and staring into his eyes. "I found him," she called out nonchalantly.

Sokka stared at her, hostility gone from his demeanor. "I'm not joining them."

"I didn't expect you would," the princess replied. Her opinion of the warrior had increased substantially. 'Maybe he's not an impulsive idiot,' she thought.

"Sokka you dolt!" Sokka braced himself for the coming shitstorm as Katara burst in with Zuko hot on her heels. "You run off like an impulsive two-year old," she began smacking him on the head. "How can I tell dad that I let you die for nothing?"

"Ow! Stop. I wasn't going to do it!" he protested, stopping her assaults.

"A good thing too," Zuko observed, joining Azula in watching the battle unfold. "The rebel leaders are damned fools. Going muzzle to muzzle with Dora's regulars in open battle…" He shook his head, marveling at the sheer idiocy of it all. "Poor bastards."

Katara was confused. "But look at them. The Empire seems to be outnumbered. How could they win?"

"Honestly," Azula shrugged. "Dora could have done it with less." The four soon lost themselves in the spectacle before them.

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"Hold ranks men! Hold ranks!" Tyro shouted to the rebel militia as they marched forward toward the Imperial lines. Haru balled his fists, white with fear. When first getting word of how vastly they outnumbered Dora he, his father, and the entire rebel camp were exulting their coming victory. Now though…

Yet another rebel from the mass of pilumtroopers and earthbenders broke, running for the rear. "Hold steady!" yelled Tyro, though Haru could tell his father and century commander was saying it half to himself.

"Cohort! Halt!" screamed the Tribune. "Make ready! Take Aim!" A ragged line of _pila_ and far older muskets depressed haphazardly, many men not even looking ahead. As an earhtbender, Haru gazed at the Imperial line. Though far outnumbered they marched forward with stone faces. There was no fear, only grim professionalism. It terrified him.

"Fire!" Smoke wreathed the line as thousands of rounds whizzed across the field. Most though slammed into the dirt or passed over the Imperial line, mere dozens falling. 'We needed training,'Haru thought. 'Too damn late.'

"Cohort!" yelled the precise voice of the Imperial Tribune, "Halt!" The wall of infantry halted in one continuous line, men from further ranks moving up to take the place of the fallen. Tight masses of firebenders behind them stood ready to exploit any breakthrough. "Make ready! Present!"

Haru prepared to earthbend a wall to block the rounds when nothing happened for a few moments.

Then the roar blanketed the battlefield. Every field gun, battlecar, and firebender released their fire upon the line. Hundreds tumbled, walls formed prematurely, and the line faltered. Haru stood firm however, how he did so not even he knew.

"Fire!" The Imperial line discharged their volley. Haru and Tyro formed their earthen walls and saved most of their unit, but they were in the minority. Unlike the rebels the majority of the rounds hit firm. Shrieks wailed as men dropped like flies, blood squirting everywhere.

It was then the line broke, Haru with it.

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On his ostrich-lizard mount a mile away Dora watched the carnage through his spyglasses. "Oh the humanity," he said, shaking his head. "These rustics are so inept. At least the Earth Kingdom forces held for two hours before they broke," he observed to his aide.

Publius Lee, Ty Lee's brother, nodded to his uncle. "They are hopeless. Shall I order a charge?"

"Yes, and send in the Rhinos too. Have the battlecars wheel around and hit their flank, keep them from escaping."

The trumpeter sounded the call to charge. The Imperial line fired another disciplined volley and surged forward.

"Nearly takes the honor out of victory," Dora observed. A smirk formed on his face. "Nearly." Publius and the rest of the staff laughed.

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Sokka and Katara were watching the rout stunned. "It's over? What the hell!" Sokka yelled. "They were outnumbered six to one and still curbstomped the rebels!"

"How could it be over?" Katara whispered. She stiffened when someone touched her shoulder, but relaxed when she saw it was Zuko.

The prince shook his head sadly, his gaze leveled at the charging Rhinos as they slaughtered the rebel lines. "This battle was over before it began."

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Darkness had descended once more, and the four sat around a campfire alone in a small clearing by the road. Katara and Sokka were ominously silent, Zuko and Azula awkwardly glancing at each other. They weren't clear on how to broach the subjects Iroh had insisted they do. "Ummm…" Zuko began, rubbing the back of his neck. "So how are you enjoying the tea?" Azula almost facepalmed herself.

"It's nice," said Katara absentmindedly, staring as she bended the brown liquid around and around in a circle. Truth be told she felt scared, scared of what she had seen. If the Empire could bat aside such a massive force in the blink of an eye how did she fair against their might. Against the Emperor's might. He had already banished his own children so she knew he contained not a merciful bone in his body.

"I know how you feel Katara," Sokka said, placing a hand over hers to comfort her. "I feel it too."

The fire siblings kept silent, not wanting to interrupt the moment.

"I wish we were back home," Sokka mused. "Dad would be telling us a story, mom and Gran Gran cooking up a delicious stew…"

"Mom!" Katara's eyes widened, the listlessness gone. She turned to look at Zuko and Azula. "You still owe us what you know about our mother!"

Katara. How could they possibly know about…"

"Kya you mean?" Azula interrupted.

Sokka's mouth dropped. "How… how do you know out mother's name? Did you tell them Katara?"

"No…"

"We know her name because we know her peasant." While he would have normally rankled at the insult in this case Sokka shut up. "Now shall we continue?"

"It's probably the only way we can prove our sincerity to both of you," Zuko added. "Do you know a person named Yahn Rah?" He knew they must've but it was something that had to be said.

"He's the governor of Commissariat Southland," answered Katara. "How that corrupt pervert got the ob is beyond me."

"Rah is a Fire Nation noble from an impoverished family," Azula began. "For anyone to enter court they either need money, land, or a patron. He latched onto Zhao." She nodded internally at seeing Sokka's face contort into a snarl at the name. 'He chooses enemies well.' "However patronage can only go so far. He needed money to really rise up in court, so he borrowed and borrowed massively from other Fire Nation nobles, merchants, and Latin-Semite _publicani_. Money lenders and bankers," she clarified seeing their puzzlement.

"Ok, but how does this involve our mom?" Katara asked.

Zuko took over. "It is the reason why your mother was taken. After he had risen a significant amount Rah was in a bind. His creditors were after him to pay, namely the Servilius family of the industrial conglomerate fame. He needed both a long term cash cow to pay them off and a down payment so to speak to quiet Servilius. He settled on the Southern Water Tribe because it was so weak. Their defeat at the hands of the _Phoenix-_class gun-ironclads only added to that." Sokka and Katara kept silent; they loved their tribe but were realistic". As long as he could pump the oil at a fast enough rate he'd be swimming in cash.

"When he came back to the Fire Nation he paid off Servilius by giving him a present. While frowned upon when unwilling participants are involved it isn't unheard of in the Fire Nation and now the Empire for the rich to take lovers or concubines, men and women alike."

"Wait" Sokka interrupted harshly. "So you're saying my mother is some kind of sex slave in the Fire Nation?" Katara's eyes blazed with fury next to him.

"That was Rah's intention but no," replied Azula. "As Zuzu was saying Rah gave her to Servilius, but unlike many most ancient nobles see being incorruptible as a virtue. He had no use for her so he asked General Dora to help him find a buyer. They found one easily."

There was a lump in Katara's throat, images popping in her head of dreary, filth-strewn brothels. "Who."

The two were silent for a moment before Zuko finally spoke. "Empress Ursa. Our mother."

"The Empress?" Both water tribe siblings were slack jawed at this revelation.

Azula nodded. "Kya became her lady in waiting, though half of her responsibility was taking care of us when mother or uncle could not." There was a flicker of sadness on her face, but only a flicker.

Zuko patted her shoulder comfortingly, the only person that Azula trusted enough to do so. "She was almost like a second mother to us. At night she talked about her two children all the time, a son my age and a daughter Zula's, how she missed them with all her heart. Her affection for us helped but deep inside I think she was heartbroken." Sokka was stoically silent while Katara blinked back tears. "We didn't know that she was your mother until you yelled about her this morning."

Composing himself, Sokka wanted to believe them but he'd been conned before. "How do we know that you're telling the truth?"

Seeing Zuko nod at her, Azula removed something from her wrist and displayed it to them. Katara reached out with a trembling hand and took it. "It's mom's bracelet," she whispered to Sokka. "The one dad made her after he returned from battle."

"Kya gave it to me before we left the Fire Nation. Said it was the Water Tribe symbol for strength during an arduous journey." Emotions were swirling inside her but she repressed them, wanting nothing more than to forget that horrible time. Her nonchalant, sarcastic façade returned. "So do you believe us now?"

Katara had always really known they were serious. The golden eyes in her dream, Aang's vision; they all told her finding Zuko and Azula in that Fabius Major dive was a twist of fate. Sokka on the other hand…

"Yes." All looked at him with wide eyes. "I believe you." The siblings looked relieved while Katara was happy. She was going with Zuko and Azula no matter what and now Sokka was joining them. "So what's the plan now?"

"Since the Avatar…"

"Katara," she insisted. "Call me Katara, uh, Zuko."

He rather liked how his name rolled off her tongue. "Alright, since Katara already has visions she is most likely ready to train?"

Katara nodded. "Yes, one of my past Avatars said it was time."

"Good, so we'll need to begin your training as soon as possible, not just the elements though."

"What else is there?" Sokka asked. "Learn the elements, go find the Emperor, launch four-bending slice, and boom, saved the world."

"Oh please," Azula chuckled, finding his naiveté charming in a way. 'What?' "I'll take it you are amazed by the Avatar power, but it's not that simple. Father is… ruthless. You'll need to learn much more than bending. Tactics, weapon's training, and uncle said an intense spiritual journey. Are you up to the task?"

Looking at all of them, Katara took a deep breath before grinning wolfishly. "Let's do this. All in?"

"Yep," Zuko said. 'Time to make uncle and mom proud.'

"Not that I have a choice," Azula smirked, inside ready to prove their father wrong.

"Sokka?"

The water tribe warrior thought for a moment. "I'll do it on two conditions."

Katara's face fell. "What?"

He met Zuko's eyes. "At the first opportunity I want to see my mom."

Zuko knew that most cases that would be a death wish, but seeing Kya meant also seeing Ursa and he and Azula would do that at the first opportunity. "Done."

"Secondly," he shifted his gaze to Azula. "I want to kill Zhao. Teach me how to do so."

A dark smirk formed on the Princess' face. "Gladly."

"Then I'm in." Each of them placed their hands on top of each other, Katara's on top. "Team Avatar is back!"

**A/N: Whooo! Team Avatar is here ladies and gentlemen. Ozai's days are numbered! Lol. **

**The speech Iroh gave Zuko and Azula is modled after the one in "Siege of the North." Hope you liked it and his comment at the end. Foreshadowing?… maybe ;)**

**The battle is modeled after the Battle of Assaye, where British general Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington) defeated the Maratha Confederacy in India with a similar numbers ratio. He was outnumbered but training and discipline carried the day.**

**Next up the four begin formulating a plan, and we get to meet two beloved cannon characters for the first time ;)**

**Stay tuned and be sure to review.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	9. Chapter 5: Sifu

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry for the long wait. This was kind of a difficult chapter to write and a lot of stuff came up.**

**Anyway, we finally get to Katara's training to be the Avatar. And there is the little detail of which two ATLA characters we meet.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Don't have enough money to own ATLA, yet.**

**This chapter is for LittleMartian.**

**Enjoy and be sure to review.**

Chapter 5: Sifu

_The pain was excruciating, like a thousand daggers slicing into the small wound on her abdomen. She looked down toward the ship and spotted him. The Emperor's stare was demonic, the smirk radiating evil. "Goodbye Avatar," he boomed, the bolt of lightning shooting out of his outstretched finger._

_She gritted her teeth, ready for the coming pain…_

Katara awoke with a gasp, shooting out of bed with sweat pouring rivulets down her face. Beside her in their tent Sokka was snoring as loud and obnoxiously as usual. Normally she'd whack him to end the infernal racket but Katara was thankful now; his snoring was bringing her back to reality.

"Just a dream," she whispered, calming her beating heart. "Just a bad dream. Whew."

Sokka stirred in his own sleeping bag. "Five more minutes mom," he whimpered.

Rolling her eyes Katara ran a hand to straighten up her wild hair. Right now she couldn't be bothered so she kept it flowing, the only touch up fixing it into what Sokka called her "Hair Loopies." 'Got to keep tradition going,' she thought. With a flick of the wrist she bended the sweat from her skin and was ready for the day.

Stepping out into the sunlight, she immediately spotted Azula sitting on the grass with crossed legs. Her hands rested on her knees in the standard meditation pose. 'If she's here then where's Zuko?' With everything that was going on Katara was itching to get started on her training.

"Um, Azula," she asked hesitantly. "Do you know where Zuko is?" A hand rose and pointed to the left, the Princess not bothering to even answer. "Thanks, uh, I think." Deciding to let it pass Katara moved to where Azula had pointed.

Her eyes bugged out upon seeing him. Zuko was working with his dual swords, the sharp blades slicing through the air as precisely as one of her water whips. What shocked her though was that he was doing it completely shirtless. 'So that's what he's hiding under his tunic,' Katara thought as she stared at his rippling muscles.

"Katara!" When Sokka's voice rang out from the tent Zuko stopped and his eyes met hers. Katara averted her eyes, a furious blush coloring her cheeks. 'Damn you Sokka.'

"Good morning Katara," Zuko said, throwing his tunic on. Had she been staring at him? 'No, you're not that lucky.' All girls he knew besides his sister would immediately look away on seeing his scar.

"Uh, good morning Zuko," she stammered. 'What is wrong with me?' "Why are you and Azula up so early?" She inwardly was proud of her save.

"From what I know about waterbenders they rise with the moon right?"

"Yes. Our bending is always better at night."

"You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun." She had to admit it made perfect sense.

Several minutes later all four of them were sharing a cold breakfast of bread, butter, and olive oil. "So now that we're all one happy family," Azula began only half-sarcastically, "What is the plan?"

"Welllll…" Sokka cracked his knuckles with a cocky grin stretched on his lips. "I'm the idea guy so leave it to me."

Azula snorted but decided to let him have his say, which earned a quizzical look from Zuko. She never acted like this even with him.

"As I see it we already have two firebending teachers, one of which will teach me swordsmanship hopefully. Since you already know waterbending sis then all we need to do is find an airbender and earthbender. Once we get them you'll learn all four elements, we'll storm the palace, and you'll take out the Emperor." He seemed rather pleased with himself.

There was silence before Azula spoke up. "While there are so many thing wrong with that you did manage to formulate the bare bones of what we need to do." Sokka seemed surprised she even grudgingly accepted any of his premises. "The only problem is that the airbenders were all killed when the Subjugation Wars began. That will be a problem."

"We can cross that bridge when we get to it. Regarding the earthbenders there are plenty in the Gaoling Commissariat." Zuko scratched his chin, a trait Katara had seen both Azula and Iroh share. "In the meantime with things being as they are, the sooner you learn the different bending forms the better."

Her eyes widened. "So you're saying you want to teach me firebending now?"

"Yes."

"Whoa," Sokka interjected. "So if you're going to be Katara's firebending teacher then I have to learn swordsmanship from…" He looked over at Azula who had an amused smirk on her lips. "Zuko, come on. Can we talk about this…"

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"Fire is the greatest paradox in the pantheon of elements."

Blinking, Katara wondered if Zuko was making this up as he went along or was repeating the same speech his uncle gave him. Judging from Zuko's personality the young Avatar was willing to bet the latter.

"The others are relatively straight forward. Water provides comfort and soft power, earth provides stability and strength, and air provides freedom and peace. Each can be lumped into the same category because their desirable traits and least desirable traits are similar. Fire is different."

"How so _Sifu _Zuko?" Katara was enjoying this. She was always eager to learn since her first session with Master Pakku back home.

Breathing in and out, Zuko opened his eyes and gazed at Katara. To her the stoic facade and scar made him seem wiser than his years. 'In a way he is.' "Fire's least desirable trait is its penchant for destruction. When uncontrolled it can burn buildings, scorch land, immolate people; however when it is controlled fire is life. When stuck in a freezing blizzard the warmth provided by the campfire wards away frostbite. When a dead forest burns the ashes provide for a sort of rebirth of new growth. Food and water when heated by fire are rid of any rottenness found within. Such is the most daunting task of any firebender, to learn control.

"You see," Zuko continued, drawing a circle in the dirt. "Every firebender has an inner flame. It is stoked by passion, rage, fear, love, and the like. Once a firebender unlocks that inner flame as long as they can harness that passion then that flame will never leave them."

"Ok," Katara said. "So all I have to do is get angry or scared and I can produce flame?"

"Yes, but to do so is dangerous." The waterbender frowned. "A fire that cannot be controlled will end in consuming all before it. Tell me Katara, how does a blacksmith control the flame while melding steel?"

"He blows air on it." She furrowed her brows. Where was Zuko going with this?

"Good, and that's the key. The first step in both stroking your flame and controlling your passion is breathing. Without proper breathing then you will not even form a flame and if you did, you'd be charred within seconds."

She gulped at the thought. In her time at the Southern Water Tribe – no, Fire Commissariat Southland Katara had witnessed plenty of executions, all of them by immolation. That was not a good way to go. "Alright, so proper breathing is the key. How should we start this _Sifu _Hotman?" She giggled at her own joke.

Zuko was tempted to smile; her joyous giggle was like music to him for some reason. However this was not a time to break his stoicism. "Form a meditation position and breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth."

Wordlessly Katara did so, folding her knees, placing her hands together, and began to breathe deeply.

After about a minute Zuko nodded. "Good. I'm heading out to get some firewood. Keep it up until I return and make sure to control your breathing, not too fast and not too slow."

Katara stared at his receding form incredulously. "So I have to just sit here?"

"Yes," he stated flatly, walking off into the woods.

Huffing, Katara had no choice but to close her eyes and continue. 'Not at all what I expected.'

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Golden eyes raked Sokka up and down, Azula absorbing every single detail and implanting it in her memory. When one had to deal with both living on the run and within the Imperial Court such a skill paid for itself countless times. "Alright… Sokka. The last time you tried to attack me was in the midst of a drunken stupor, but it was obvious you received some training in melee combat."

Sokka narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. Even if she and her brother said they were on their side and knew their mother he was still a bit weary of opening up. Especially about this subject. "Yes. I was taught the Kyoshi style by my fiancée Suki." Just mentioning her name brought pain to his heart.

A flicker of sympathy formed in Azula before she suppressed it. 'Love and sympathy is for the weak.' Weakness could not be tolerated, especially in the Empire. "The famed Kyoshi Warriors I see. Too bad it would be completely useless in a fight for you."

"Are you calling Suki weak?" he asked with an angry edge.

"Certainly not." The two were standing on the edge of the campsite, Katara sitting in her breathing stance several yards away. "However that style was developed for women. They possess a natural gracefulness and flexibility lacking in men."

"Well of course." A smirk formed on Sokka's face. "We on the other hand depend on brute strength in our attacks." The implication was obvious.

Azula wanted to toss him onto his ass again but for some reason she found his cockiness oddly alluring. 'No, focus Zula!' her mind yelled. "Exactly. The Kyoshi form, in using the straight _jian_ sword maximizes strength but it was designed for women who need to compensate for that. In your case since you are a man it enables you to keep using brute force even when it is detrimental." This was her impression of Sokka since the beginning: brash, narrowly-focused, cocky. They weren't bad in her mind, just raw and needing fine-tuning. 'Just like Zuzu was before training with his Dao swords. They complemented him well and even helped with his firebending. Such a tactic would do wonders for Sokka.'

"So what?"

"Firebending is the ultimate form of pure, aggressive power. They will naturally seek out confrontation and attack head on without heed for consequences. If you wish to kill Zhao using the Kyoshi style will only add you to his list of vanquished. No." She began to circle him.

The Water Tribe warrior was getting a bit uncomfortable at Azula's stare, almost like a panther-wolf as it bore in to a target. 'Is she really that much of a cold fish?'

'Anyone raised in that hellhole under the Emperor would be,' a voice in his head, sounding a lot like Suki, told him. 'There is likely more to her that meets the eye.'

He scoffed inwardly. 'Princess Crazy? Not likely.'

"There are two options I see here," she finally said after completing two circles. "We could train you with twin Dao blades as Zuko uses but that requires a bit of aggression that comes naturally to a firebender. No, I will teach you the style that I've learned."

"Wouldn't you have learned the aggressive style?" Sokka asked with a sneer, though underneath there was a level of curiosity about his new _sifu_.

A dark smirk crossed her face. "Zuzu needed to find an outlet to both broaden him and access the proper form of aggression. I on the other hand needed to tame mine."

Sokka gulped involuntarily. This girl was dangerous. 'Aren't you glad she's on your side?' the Suki voice said in a sing song manner. "So what is your strategy _sifu_ Azula?"

The Princess stepped away for a moment, ruffling through her pack. When she returned Azula was carrying a long, straight sword with a narrow shaft and a pointed tip. "It is an old Latin-Semite sword, designed about the time they first came into contact with the Fire Nation. It is called a rapier and requires speed and maneuverability, both skills you will need to acquire."

"Damn it!" Both turned to see Katara stomping her foot on the ground with a look of pure frustration. "Why isn't this working?!"

"Katara?" Sokka asked. His sister was usually the most even tempered of the entire Tribe; she did have a wicked stubborn streak but it only manifested when she was beyond frustration.

"I've been breathing in and out for the last hour and I can't even bend a single spark!" She kicked at the air in frustration. Waterbending had always come easily to her.

"Buck up sis," Sokka said comfortingly. "You'll get it in no time."

Azula however had a different way of dealing with this. "Didn't my brother tell you to only breathe? While I applaud your passion which is an essential ingredient to any top-notch firebender, until you master your breathing the best you will be able to do is immolate yourself and/or everyone around you."

Her face fell. "I know, but it's just so… aggh!" Calming herself down, Katara looked around and realized something. "Wait, shouldn't Zuko have been back by now?"

"You're right!" her brother exclaimed. "Where is Zuko?" Sokka complained, pacing near the edge of the clearing. "This entire forest is full of wood. Why does he have to go off for an hour…" He stopped in his tracks.

"Sokka?" Katara asked when he stopped talking. "While I'm sure Azula and I are glad you stopped ranting why did you?"

"That." The two girls turned around and found Sokka pointing at a tree branch. On it was a small white creature with black stripes. Covered in fur, it sported wide eyes, long ears, and a rope-like tail. "What the hell is this thing and why is he staring at me?"

"Odd," Azula observed. "Looks like some kind of lemur, but those are restricted to the mountains."

"I think it's kind of cute," Katara said.

"Why is he staring at me? Go away!" The lemur only blinked, cocking his head to the side. "Get out of here!" he shook a hand at it.

Shrieking, the lemur jumped on Sokka's shoulder. "AAAAAHHH! Get it off get it off!" The warrior began running and flailing his hands to dislodge the small animal. "Katara! Princess Lady! Help!"

Katara clutched her stomach as she bawled in laughter. Azula crossed her arms and smirked. "Why? This is quite amusing."

Eventually the lemur had enough and leapt off Sokka's head, landing surprisingly for all three on Azula's. "Um, what is he doing?" said the princess. The lemur hissed at Sokka before curling up on Azula's head, relaxing.

"I think he likes you," Katara said. This was almost too priceless: the serious, tough as nails Imperial Princess Azula being used as a pillow for a furry animal. "Maybe he likes your heat? You are a firebender after all."

"That beast is vicious. How could it like anyone?" Sokka said. "Least of all Princess Cold over there."

Giving Sokka a cross look, Azula decided to check out the lemur's intentions. Very slowly she raised her hand and began stroking the animal's back. A soft purring was heard in response.

"Vicious Sokka?" Katara asked him. "Riiiight…" She grinned at him until an audible roar echoed through the forest.

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"Urrgh!" Zuko groaned. Yet another green log, one that would burn terribly. "What the hell is wrong with this forest?" he wondered aloud. 'Probably all new growth.' The Imperial Army had marched through last year and burned half the area to weed out a bad of rebels. He remembered watching the smoke with Azula while Uncle paid a group of waterbenders to soak the entire inn.

Clenching his fists he willed himself to calm down. Zuko breathed in deeply, steam leaving his nose as he exhaled. 'Keep calm Zuko, keep calm.' Uncle had always drilled into him how proper firebenders made sure to control their anger. 'How does Azula make it look so easy?' When she lost her temper it was often worse than his but she was a pro at staying level headed.

Deciding to just grab some of the unseasoned logs and head back to the campsite, a low groan from deeper in the woods caught his attention. While an expert in the wildlife of the area after three years with Zula and Uncle, this throaty bellow wasn't familiar.

Feet crept to the woods, the Prince oddly swift and quiet for his size. The bellowing continued, joined by the rush of water streaming towards the Inland Sea. A predatory snarl then pierced the din… more than one. 'This cannot be good.' Much of the self-preservation side of Zuko urged him to double back but every one of Uncle's teachings urged him to keep going.

Bursting out of the thick underbrush, Zuko came across a large river with a wide grassy bank devoid of trees. A pack of snarling panther-wolves circled a massive white beast. Every few second the predators lunged forward, hissing and swiping their claws at the best who bellowed and mock charged with its giant head. From how tired it looked Zuko saw it wouldn't last. Soon the best would wear itself out and the beasts would move in for the kill.

One of the panther-wolves began to charge when a fireball slammed into its side. Piercing yellow eyes bore in on the threat. "Come and get me," Zuko said flatly, a determined glare on his face and body set in a perfect force stance. Hissing loudly three of the five predators lurched at Zuko.

Exactly what he was going for. Feet planted on the ground the Prince shot two jets of flame in quick succession at the leader of the pack. It anticipated one and lurched to the side but this Zuko had anticipated, the second fireball slamming into the predator's face. It toppled to the ground, dazed, confused, and burned slightly. The others paused for a moment to size Zuko up but this was a miscalculation. Summoning up the last bit of strength it had the beast charged. Two of the panther-wolves were knocked back into the woods.

Tails between their legs, the pack withdrew.

Breathing heavily, Zuko brushed off the small bits of dust from his red tunic and shaggy hair. A loud grunt caused him to look up. "Hey there big guy." He studied the beast closely. It was large, a flat, wide tail at the end with three pairs of thick legs keeping its massive bulk upright. Two horns projected from its head, the white fur there mixed with a large grey arrow. "Wait." At first glance it seemed like an air bison, but weren't those all dead?

The bison bellowed right at Zuko, large tongue extending out and licking a trail from his feet to his head. Covered in saliva the Prince glowered. "I guess I'll take that as a thank you," he muttered, granting that the beast was at least grateful.

Wiping the last of the slobber off himself, Zuko was about to inspect the animal for injuries when an audible click caught his ear. "Don't move firebender," said a ragged voice.

Zuko froze, the cold metal of a pistol barrel pressed to his temple.

**A/N: Ouch! Who could that be?**

**I am basing the elemental teaching off stuff I heard about the elements in the show, the character's personalities, and a little bit of my own creations :)**

**So we finally meet Appa and Momo. You can't have an ATLA fic without them. Wonder how Aang is going to feel when he learns his buddy is alive?**

**Plenty of Earthbenders in Gaoling? What could that mean? ;)**

**Be sure to review :)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	10. Chapter 6: The Last Airbender?

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys. Writer's block was killing me but I'm finally back.**

**And here we have the next chapter. It's a bit of a long one but I think you'll like.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. I can't make that any clearer.**

**This chapter is for Lady Rini. **

**Enjoy and please review :)**

Chapter 6: The Last Airbender?

Most people when confronted by a pistol aimed at their temple would do one of three things: freeze which didn't help, try and fight which would end in certain death, or babble and shit themselves which… was just embarrassing. Prince Zuko on the other hand kept a calm facade to rival Azula's to hide his apprehension. "Now let's calm down and put away the gun," he breathed, hands raised in the air to show he meant no harm.

"Shut up!" yelled the stranger. "Don't you think I know who you are firebender? That's right, I can feel the heat radiating from your body." The voice boastful, though also scratchy and worn.

Taking a chance, Zuko slowly swiveled his gaze to rest upon his captor. The man wasn't a man at all. Tough as tall as Zuko was he bore the facial features of a teenage boy despite the dirt and badly shaven stubble on his chin. His body was lanky and the grey uninational tunic and trousers hung loosely on his frame. Curly black hair covered his scalp and a red headband was tied loosely around his forehead. "Look, I don't mean you any harm…"

"No harm, right." The sarcasm dripped from his tongue. "So then why were you trying to steal Appa?"

"Appa?" Zuko looked over at the massive bison. "I saved him."

The boy looked at him quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

"Remember those snarls you heard, those were panther-wolves. They wanted to make a meal out of your sky bison over there." The Fire Prince had a theory but it seemed a bit far-fetched. 'I thought they were all dead." He kept his face impassive though.

A flicker of fear crossed the boy's face. "That's not a sky bison," he stammered.

Zuko didn't believe him, but before he could press the issue an angry shout and a single ball of blue fire erupted from the forest. "Drop the pistol," Azula hissed loudly, an anger in her voice as the flames dissipated barely inches from the boy's face. "I'll immolate you where you stand if you don't."

Staring, Katara noticed the boy hesitate with hands shaking. She had seen this before; he didn't want to but if pushed, especially by a firebender, might just decide to fuck it. An image of Zuko's lifeless head with a single, round hole in the temple came to mind. It filled her with utter dread.

Before he could react the boy felt a freezing sensation crawling up his body. "What the…" he began before his eyes widened.

Katara's eyes were glowing, arms raised as she bent the water from the grass around the two up to freeze the boy. As quickly as it came it ended, the sky bison charging to her and licking her with its massive tongue. "Katara," Sokka called, running to her. "That monster is trying to eat Katara!"

"Stop it Sokka," Katara mumbled, feeling a bit light headed through the sticky saliva that was coating her. "I think it likes me." She noticed out of the corner of her eye Zuko was smirking at her. An errant blush crept on her cheek.

"The Avatar State," Azula observed. "I was wondering when it would first show up." 'And when Zuzu was in danger… hmmm, interesting.' From its perch on her shoulder the lemur leapt into the air, unfurled bat-like wings, and landed on the frozen boy. At Zuko's raised eyebrow Azula shrugged. "A lemur of some kind. Taken a liking to me for some reason."

"Hard to believe," Zuko quipped, stepping closer to his sister now that he wasn't a hostage.

"What were you doing with Momo?" the boy asked, wriggling. "I know who she is. The waterbender is the Avatar."

Eyes hardening Sokka removed his knife. "Should we kill him? We cannot afford Katara's identity to get out." He didn't want to but if it meant their survival he would.

"There's no need seeing he's not likely to like the Empire any more than we do," Zuko replied, pointing to the lemur and the bison. "Those are creatures that reside only in the mountains surrounding the Air Temples and this boy," he stepped forward and removed the headband, "Is an Air Nomad."

Sitting up, Katara gasped. Planted on his forehead was a thick blue arrow tattoo.

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"How, how did your… ancestors survive the assault?" Azula asked with rapt attention. One of the first things taught to children in the Eternal Empire was the brave sacrifice of the great Crown Prince Zuko who perished valiantly in pitched battle with the Air Nomad Avatar, he and his men wiping out the corrupt Air Nomads dedicated to the perseverance of the primitive "Balance" ideology. That one did survive intrigued her.

The boy, Tenzin – as he told them in the past thirty minute as well as his journey here and the story about the animals – swallowed the last bite of his third helping of friend rice. "My grandfather used to tell my mother this story. He and my grandmother had been playing on a mountaintop about thirty minutes away by glider when the sky turned orange, like fire."

"Sozin's Comet," Zuko said. "It makes firebenders even more powerful than they are. Almost like a full moon to waterbenders but multiply it tenfold," he explained to Sokka and Katara.

"They wisely hunkered down, for when it was over and they returned everyone was dead, burned or butchered." Katara clenched her fists together. The Emperor must have learned well from his ancestors. "They tried to keep the culture alive. Married, had my mother, watched as she married a deserter from the Fire Nation earthbender auxiliary units, my father. My parents died not too long ago, disease. I'm all that's left of the Air Nomads, or so I know. I would've stayed in the Southern Air Temple but Imperial airships converged on the location so Appa, Momo, and I had to flee." Tenzin's gaze rested on Katara. "I can't believe you're alive, I mean the Avatar. Grandfather always thought Aang disappeared."

"You know Aang?"

"Yes, he was my grandfather's brother actually. They all knew he fled two days before the genocide according to my mother, but the odd thing is the Fire Nation must've known as well."

Zuko was puzzled. "What? If the Avatar wasn't there then Sozin wouldn't have bothered to launch the attack."

"Maybe he was just that sadistic," Sokka sneered.

"I can't believe that," the prince replied in a low voice. While Katara felt for him she was with her brother on this one.

"It is fortunate," Azula interjected, though her voice as low as her brother. "I was of the impression that all the airbenders were dead. Seems the great Crown Prince Zuko wasn't as great as Father," she said the last with a sneer, "Made him out to be."

The young monk's demeanor changed once again, this time to despondence. Katara noticed it first. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not an airbender," he mumbled softly. "I can still teach you to bend, I've memorized the forms and the techniques from my mother. However I cannot bend myself." He swallowed, forcing a smile on his face. "It will still be an honor to pass on my culture's bending to the Avatar."

All four others shared looks, knowing the teenager wasn't ok with any of this. There was no time to dwell on it at the moment though since Tenzin yawned. Her mothering instincts kicking in Katara rose. "We can talk this over at a later time Tenzin, so get some rest. I know this will all work out." Wordlessly she helped him up and guided him to a tent.

Several hours later, as she was preparing to go to sleep herself Katara saw Zuko lying at the edge of the campsite gazing at the stars. "Zuko? What are you doing?"

He was silent for a moment, wondering if she'd leave if he didn't answer. To his surprise though he felt her plop down on the grass beside him. "Back on the road, when it was just Uncle, Azula, and I before he set up the inn he'd extinguish the fire and tell us about the stars. We were still suffering badly from the banishment but when we gazed upon the stars, it all changed."

She could hear the fondness in his voice, the real man beneath the hardened façade. Katara found herself wanting to know more. "Tell me about them, the stars I mean. We have our own constellations but I want to know what the Fire Nation calls them."

"Well," he pointed upward at the magnificent sky, millions of lights twinkling above them. "That cluster right there is Jimmu, the first mortal Fire Lord who lead our people from the mainland, and above him is Agni, the line of stars right there. He has taken the form of a great dragon to protect his people."

"And what is he protecting them from?"

Zuko took her hand in his and guided it to the adjacent constellation, both feeling the small spark when they touched but not bringing it up. "See the three stars in a line, the blue star below and the red star above?"

"Yes," Katara replied, entranced at the majesty of it all.

"That is Orion, the hunter. It is actually a Latin-Semite constellation, protecting the land as my people move to settle it. The three foretell the coming clash between the great cultures."

"I always thought your cultures have lived under one crown."

"They did for the last three hundred years, but before that noooo." She saw him shake his head. "There were no less than seven great wars between our people before Fire Lord Iroh Imperator united the Fire Kingdom and the Latin-Semite Republic into the united Fire Nation. My uncle was named after him."

"You'll definitely have to tell me more." Katara wanted to sit up with him and talk about the stars all night but she needed her sleep. "I need to get my rest, but we will be having this discussion again Zuko. I still haven't told you about the Southern Lights."

"I'll hold you to that waterbender," he joked, squeezing her hand in his.

"Naturally firebender," she joked back. Katara rose and headed to her tent, mind thinking solely about his last gesture. It was… intimate, and she couldn't forget how safe she felt in that moment.

Leaning back into the grass Zuko kept playing back the touch. It had been unthinking but now that he thought about it… her hand fit perfectly into his.

Sitting by the fire, Sokka stared at the betrothal necklace in his hand. It had been hard to procure the standard whalebone needed for a classically Water Tribe necklace but he had done so, carving in the symbol for nearly two weeks until he got it just right. 'Oh had Suki loved it.' Tears welled up just thinking about his dead fiancée.

Ahead of him Azula was just coming out of meditation. "Hey Azula," he called out.

Puzzled for a moment that Sokka actually wanted to speak with her, the Fire Princess set it aside. "Yes… Sokka?" While peasant had been on the tip of her tongue he wasn't being an idiot so she decided to not antagonize him. "Spit it out."

"What can you tell me about Admiral Zhao?" He observed her raise her eyebrow in the light created by the flickering flames. "You were in Court as the Princess. You must know more than what us mere peasants do."

She couldn't help but smirk slightly at his self-depreciation, rising to sit beside him. "Zhao, he is in layman's terms a sadistic piece of trash fit to muck out a rhino-pigsty. However since he is loyal to a point and would never get the necessary popularity to succeed in deposing him father keeps him around. He is nominally married to my friend Ty Lee, of both Fire Nation and Latin-Semite nobility, but he would fuck any female with a pulse. There is nothing he enjoys more than preying on helpless women, especially criminals he captures."

A shudder coursed through Sokka at that statement. What would Suki have endured had she not killed herself. "That must make him despised."

Azula snorted. "You don't know the half of it. I doubt his own mother would love him. He has many enemies but none have the balls to act on it."

"How can one live without anyone close to you?" Sokka, despite living for so long in the Empire, never really understood it.

"It's simple, those who don't have any attachments never get hurt. It is the proper order of things. I strive for it every day."

"But you care about your brother, that I could tell from this afternoon. You had fear in your eyes when you thought he was about to be killed." He could sense Azula stiffening but pressed on. "There's nothing wrong with caring for someone, even…" he looked at the necklace. He still loved Suki, would always love her, but she would've wanted him to move on. 'She would want me to accept her death and let the pain go. "Even if you lose them. How else can one be truly happy?"

Getting no response, Sokka lifted his arm and patted the Fire Princess gently on the shoulder like he saw Zuko do on more than one occasion. Azula tensed. He was touching her on her scarred back. Her porcelain skin flushed red as it began to increase in temperature, the princess wanting to strike him down like she did in the bar. However, for reasons that she couldn't fathom, she just couldn't. Rising with a hiss, she swatted his arm away and headed back to her tent.

Sokka sat wordlessly in front of the fire, mind racing to contemplate what happened. 'Maybe there is something more to her than what she let's on.' A chirp beside him caused him to look down. There was Momo staring up at him, eyes wide. He chuckled. "Don't tell any of the others I said this, but you are kind of cute." Momo merely purred as he scratched behind his ear.

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"Wow, I'm an uncle," Aang observed with wide eyes. "Well, sort of. I'm not sure how family dynamics work when one is a spirit."

Katara giggled. This was only her second while-sleeping conversation with her Avatar past life but she had to admit, Aang was good company. He was like a younger, less annoying Sokka without the boorish appetite. "I'm sure they're the same everywhere."

"Yeah." Aang gave her a smile, though it quickly turned into a frown. "So Tenzin can't bend." They were sitting in a grassy knoll surrounded by rocks and trees somewhere in the Spirit World – Katara wasn't sure exactly where. "I'm glad he can still teach you to bend but all the same, it's like part of my culture is permanently gone. I couldn't possibly comprehend the pain of being the last of my kind."

She sighed, empathizing with him. 'After all I am the last waterbender of the Southern Tribe." But it wasn't the same, never the same. "Not all is lost. He has both a lemur and a sky bison." Katara smiled at seeing Aang's face perk up. Despite the enlightened state her past life had in some instances he was still an innocent youth. "Little Momo keeps getting on my brother's nerves but likes Azula for some reason. And Appa is a big lummox but nice once you get to know him." Her smile changed to confusion when she saw Aang's eyes glaze over. "Aang, is something wrong?"

"Appa? The bison's name is Appa?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied. "Tenzin saw it carved into the skin of his right horn, why?"

A tear fell from Aang's cheek. "He was my best friend. I hoped he lived after fleeing that awful iceberg." It all clicked, Aang having told her what happened when he emerged from the ice and faced the Emperor. "Fate is ironic in that way," he said, trying to put aside his tears of joy. "I don't think two separate Avatars have ever had a single animal companion."

They talked for another hour, Katara promising to look after Appa and Aang promising to talk to Roku about the mystery involving Crown Prince Zuko. "You need to find an Earthbending teacher soon Katara," the boy said, his voice uncharacteristically firm as she began to slip out of the Spirit World. "There are storm clouds gathering. They are far off but approaching quickly. You need to master your powers as quickly as possible."

"But where am I supposed to find one," she called as things slowly faded to black.

"The same way you found the others, observe closely." The last thing Katara could see before disappearing back into her sleep was a giggling little girl and a flying boar lifting her off into the blackness.

ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK ZK

Bending the water and oil out of her breakfast bowl, Katara placed it in the knapsack and tossed it onto Appa's saddle. The great beast groaned slightly but merely shifted. Chuckling softly, Katara patted his head. "Take it easy big guy. You're probably the only animal companion to two Avatars." Appa flickered his eye to her and then closed it.

Deciding to leave the bison to his nap the waterbender trotted over to where the others were sitting. "Morning all." Her gaze drifted to the newest member of the group. "Good to see you all perked up Tenzin," she observed with a smile.

Tenzin beamed at her. "Thanks. Hard not to when you finally have some good food in your belly and a restful night's sleep."

"Katara is an amazing cook, as a proper woman should be," Sokka needled with a cheeky grin, earning the expected glare from his sister. His grin faltered though when he caught Azula glowering darkly. "Seriously though," he quickly backtracked. "You should try her roasts. Mom taught her the recipe and they are to die for." He mimed stroking his belly.

'Does he always think about meat?' Azula asked herself. Her lip however did curl upward ever so slightly.

"Uh," Tenzin rubbed the back of his neck ever so slightly. "I'm actually a vegetarian." Sokka seemed completely shocked.

"It's an Air Nomad thing Sokka, calm down," Zuko told him. "Their philosophy dictates that to achieve spiritual enlightenment with the world and its conscious inhabitants that they also must be in complete peace with them. Ergo no meat."

"Wow, uh," Tenzin stammered. "I couldn't have put it better myself." He sounded like the teenager he was which pleased Katara.

"Ok," Zuko announced, unfurling a map from his pack and setting it flat on the ground. "The way I see it we are in a much more advantageous position than we were 24 hours ago. We have excellent transportation and three of the four elements accounted for."

"Way to state the obvious Jerkbender," Sokka retorted with a smirk. Katara turned to glare at him until she picked up the teasing lilt in his voice. In fact it sounded a lot like his constant bantering with her. 'Good development, though the irony is probably lost on him.' "However, we still need to find Katara an earthbending teacher."

"This will not be easy," Azula noted, brushing a wayward strand of raven black hair behind her ear. "Since we do not know Zhao and Dora's whereabouts they are probably still in Fabius Major so that is out. Ba Sing Se is close but it's practically the Fire Nation with a higher earthbender percentage."

"How so?" asked the newest member of "Team Avatar." His years of isolation negated a requisite knowledge of the world.

"Father practically ordered Long Feng and Fong to turn it into an 'Oasis of Subjugation' on the Continent. Every tenth person is probably a Dai Li informant so it's out. The countryside would be safest but it could take months to find a suitable person."

Katara nodded. "So what you're saying is that," she tapped her finger against the city closest to them. "Gaoling is the only option?"

"Yes."

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The bustling city of Gaoling arose as an important transportation hub astride the main road from Omashu to Ba Sing Se. Integrated into the Fire Nation in the 63rd year of Azulon's reign it had blossomed into a key instillation in the Eternal Phoenix Empire. "If there's an earthbending teacher for Katara here then we'll find it," Tenzin said cheerfully. Given the fact no one could know his true origins the boy was clad in a black Latin-Semite work tunic and trousers with a red diadem wrapped around his head.

"Keep your voice down," Azula hissed. "You may not have had much contact with people at the air temple, but in the Empire it is safe to assume that everyone is a Dai Li informant." The air nomad nodded, pursing his lips. 'Poor guy,' Katara thought sympathetically. 'Must be a lot to take in.' She set a comforting hand on his shoulder, earning a smile from Tenzin.

Taking in the bustling crowds of people, Zuko turned to Katara. "Ok, so there's got to be someone here. Anyone take your fancy Katara?"

"It doesn't work like that Zuko," she answered as they pulled into a side alley for more privacy. "A bending teacher is almost like a parent as you know and for me it is even more crucial. There needs to be a special bond greater than the normal student/master relationship." At Zuko shifting his feet uncomfortably at that Katara grew puzzled. Then the subtext of what she said dawned on her and she blushed softly.

'Oh this is interesting,' Azula thought, smirking slightly. 'But now is not the time.' "Katara is right. We can't just pick someone randomly off the street."

Sokka thought for a moment. "The big issue is finding the proper place to find a suitable teacher. A place like that," he pointed to the sign hanging above a courtyard: _Chi Fu's Earthbending Academy_. "Will not work since it's too official. We need something more unofficial, underground so to speak since those will be less likely to include informants."

The Princess blinked. "Um, wow, uh…" 'Was this the "Idea guy Katara kept reminding her of?"' She shrugged her surprise aside. "Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself."

"That's the pinnacle of Zula's compliments, enjoy it," Zuko whispered to Sokka's ear with a chuckle. The water tribe warrior couldn't help but preen, then inwardly do a double take in confusion as to why he was enjoying _her _praise. Didn't she hate him?

Their conversation was paused by the rather loud banter as two teenage boys left the earthbending academy. "You got the tickets?" one asked the other.

"Yep, I definitely ain't missing it this year. All the best earthbenders'll be there and the best part? No holds barred!" They slapped their palms together with a whoop.

"Maybe they have the right idea," said Tenzin. "Excuse me fellas," he called over with a friendly smile; now that he was safe with friends the natural joviality of his great-uncle manifested itself. "Where is this event that you can't miss?"

The two stared at the chipper teenager. "Oh, it's at the corner of nonna," one replied with a sly look.

"Nonna?"

"Yeah, as in nonna your business!" The two guffawed and began walking away.

"That could have gone better," Zuko deadpanned.

"Reminded me of those moronic leopard-seal clubbers back home. Only one way to deal with those," Sokka pounded a fist into his palm. "Care to join me Zuko?

"Eh, I could always use more practice in hand to hand," the Prince grinned.

They moved to follow the jerks when a slender yet strong hand gripped their shoulders. "Before you run off with the peasant Zuzu, you ought to think for a moment. You are usually quite good at it."

"And how would you get this information Zula?"

"Simple, all it needs is a feminine touch." She smiled sultrily that made Zuko want to gag. "Come on Katara." Shrugging at the looks the boys gave her, Katara ran off after Azula. "Hey boys, wait up!"

"Is she always that way when she needs something?" Tenzin asked the two older boys.

"When she realizes breaking heads isn't the most effective course of action."

'Well she's an expert at both,' Sokka thought.

'Katara would be perfect at that,' Zuko thought at the same time. Neither of them said it out loud for fear of the other slugging them.

After no time at all the girls had returned. "Hope you guys aren't busy tonight," Katara announced with a dramatic flair, "Because we're going to Earth Rumble Nine!"

"How'd you get it out of them so fast?" Tenzin inquired.

The Avatar shared a knowing look with Azula. "Us girls have our ways."

Around the corner the two friends were struggling as best they could, frozen sideways to the walls and with all their hair singed off.

**A/N: Ok, by a show of hands who didn't laugh at that end scene? I just couldn't resist putting Azula in that, it would have fit her perfectly!**

**Before anyone asks, I want to explain about Tenzin's name. While I am trying to avoid LoK references since I didn't particularly like that show, I chose to include this one for the following reason. I wanted to have a symbolic air nomad name to reference the "Last Airbender" thing. I couldn't use Aang for obvious reasons so I decided on Tenzin. Hope it's alright with all of you :)**

**I also decided not to make him an Airbender because since he wants to be one it'll create some drama and character development as the story progresses. Remember how Sokka felt despondent since he was the lone nonbender in the gaang? Well imagine adding on the fact that you can't even carry on the most important part of your culture and you'll get Tenzin. I have a plan trust me :)**

**Imagine him as an older Aang, tougher and a little more hardened. Assume the introductory stuff we saw in the first episode happened before he explained about the genocide. It's easier that way cause I don't want to get to detailed into it. **

**Hope you guys liked the little Zutara moment and the pensive Sokkla moment. Believe me, more where that came from coming up ;)**

**Next up! EARTH RUMBLE NINE!**

**Be sure to review.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	11. Chapter 7: The Blind Bandit

**A/N: Hey all. Sorry this update took so long, I was going through a bit of a rough patch the last few weeks.**

**Anyway, the Blind Bandit is here!**

**For the sake of simplicity I am using Roman standard measurements. A cubit is about half a yard and a Roman mile is 3200 cubits. A Talent is 70 pounds.**

**For the new Avatarverse I've decided to go from the Chinese style coins to Roman ones for one reason. The Roman ones (gold Aureus, silver Denarius, and copper Sestertius) can all fit a profile on them. Someone as megalomaniacal such as Ozai would find that quite appealing.**

**Disclaimer. I do not own ATLA. I sometimes do in my dreams though. [pinches self] Ow! Ok, don't own them.**

**This chapter is for BendingDreams.**

**Enjoy and be sure to review.**

Chapter 7: The Blind Bandit

"This is the place?" Sokka asked with a skeptical tone. Following the directions the two girls had… "persuaded" those kids to giving, the gang had arrived at a decrepit china shop, whitewashed walls stained with grime and shingled flaking off in multiple places. "It doesn't look like some sort of underground fight club."

"That would defeat the purpose of it being underground," Azula shot back. "An "Earth Rumble" in a china shop, delightfully ironic."

Zuko took it in, "Sounds like one of Uncle's lame sayings."

Rolling her eyes, Katara put on her innocent girl face and strode to the doorway, knocking three times fast. Immediately a screen opened. "Yes?" asked a gruff voice.

"Rockslide," she answered back. That had been the password given to her.

The screen closed as she heard the clinks and shuffles of metal from behind the wood. Soon after it opened, a rather muscular bruiser letting them in. The interior was completely bare, except for a skinny older gentleman perched on a cheap, wooden stool. "That'll be five copper pieces each, ten for premium seats." He held out a cashbox, laughing crazily as his tufts of grey hair stuck out every which way.

Momo, nestled in an emerald green silk bag Sokka had binge purchased earlier, huddled back in fear. "Calm down buddy," Tenzin soothed, petting him. Though Appa was too big to take everywhere, Momo made the perfect traveling companion. Even Sokka had warmed up to him (except at mealtimes of course).

"Allow me," Azula said, removing the gang's coin purse from her pocket. A copper _Sestertius _– bearing Fire Lord Sozin's thick-bearded profile – tumbled out into the box, followed quickly by twenty-four of its brothers. "There. Now take us to the match."

"Impatient are we?" grinned the old man, showing off a mouth of missing teeth. "Hold on to your ostrich-horses young ones." Slowly limping off the stool, to everyone's shock he tensed and flicked his arms, the floor beneath their feet descending. "Here we are. Enjoy the show." Crazed laughs echoed as he shot upward.

"What was that?" Tenzin asked, scratching the skin underneath his headband.

"I really have no idea," Katara replied, eyeing the short corridor. "On to the rumble."

Heading for the archway at the end of the underground corridor, the five entered a massive stone amphitheater, seats wrapped around a pit supporting a massive earthen arena. "Sweet Creator," breathed Katara, taking it all in. "How did they sanction all of this?" Bending wasn't prohibited in the Empire but it was strictly regulated. From her travels with Sokka she had observed countless Imperial raids on unauthorized bending academies.

"Probably corruption," Zuko observed as they sat in the middle of the stands. "The event organizers likely paid the local governor under the table." He lifted his cloak over his head, looking around. "The Dai Li has informers everywhere, we should keep a low profile."

Katara nodded, trusting him. She was about to tell him something when the lights dimmed. Directed floodlights zeroed in on the arena as a loud voice boomed. "Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for our new master of ceremonies: Champion of Earth Rumble Eight and two time runner up, The Boulder!" The ground gave way as a heavily muscled – almost to the point of appearing like rock himself – man bended his way up, quickly covering the hole.

He waved to the crowd, voice booming. "The Boulder would like to thank each and every one of you for coming tonight! We have an exciting lineup for you tonight, but first, the Boulder askes for a round of applause for longtime master of ceremonies Xin Fu, who has accepted a commission within the Imperial Provincial Legion to fight the dirty scum who dare tangle with the divine might of our Emperor." The crowd cheered and clapped, Katara and the others joining in. It was a must, especially considering who she was.

"So what about that guy Katara?" Tenzin asked. "He looks like a pretty strong earthbender."

"Ummm…" she tugged at the collar of her shirt. "No, he's not right. I don't really know what I'm looking for, but I know who I don't want."

"Good choice," said Azula absentmindedly. "The manner in which he refers to himself in the Third Person is annoying."

"I don't see a problem with it," Sokka announced, munching on a large basket of fire flakes he had purchased at the concession stand.

"Of course not," Azula rolled her eyes.

All quieted down when the first two contestants arrived on stage. "In this corner, four and a half cubits tall and three talents large, the Boulder welcomes Sargon the Punisher!" Stepping onto the arena floor was a thickly muscled brute with long black hair and deeply tanned skin. While the Boulder had a bit of theatrical flair to him, Sargon was all power and grit.

"Today," he announced in a thick Southern Earth Kingdom accent, "A new champion is born!"

"A bit presumptuous of him," Zuko noted. "But we'll see."

"And in the other corner, at five cubits and four talents, the Boulder welcomes Hippo!" A massive tub of a man waddled into the other end, taking two rocks and crushing them with his teeth.

"I doubt that's hygienic," mused Tenzin.

"AAAAAAAND BEGIN!"

"Time for you to fall before my might," Sargon thundered, immediately sending a large rock right for Hippo's center mass – only for it to bounce harmlessly off. Growling, the other bender brought one leg after another down onto the ground, his bending creating a near earthquake that sent vibrations through the seats. Certainly no one could hold their footing through that?

Sargon did, standing like a rock and bending two streams of debris. He launched a devastating pincer movement against Hippo, hitting him from both sides simultaneously causing him to weaken. I final blast sent him careening into the lower pit, defeated.

"The Boulder declares Sargon the Punisher the victor in Round One!"

"This is barbaric," Tenzin said, turning to Katara. "How can anyone enjoy this?"

"Not sure," remarked Katara. "I mean a bending fight is sometimes entertaining but this is much too… dramatized for me. Zuko?"

"Useless entertainment. Give me the elegance of an Agni Kai any day."

"I think it's rather enjoyable," Azula said, smirking slightly. "In an amusing sort of way. Sokka?"

She looked over only to get a full display of his thoughts. "WHOOOOOOOOO!" the water tribe warrior hollered, standing in his seat and fists pumping in the air. Momo, ever the imitator, screeched from his head. "Let's get some!" 'At least someone's enjoying themselves,' Katara thought, though the fact Azula didn't call him out on it was odd to say the least. Her smirk had changed to a small smile, which changed back into an impassive scowl a moment later.

Before she could ponder this further another round was starting. "And at four cubits and three talents, the Boulder welcomes Fire Nation Man!" A man dressed up in a silly getup and waving an antique Fire Nation flag strode into the arena, a chorus of boos descending on him.

Katara was puzzled. "Isn't that treason?"

Zuko shook his head. "There is no Fire Nation anymore, only the Empire. This is more a "Provincial Rivalry" and is tolerated."

"Oh."

Bowing to the crowd, Fire Nation Man thrust the flag into the air. "Please kneel for the national anthem. Fire Lord," he belted, "My flame burns for you…"

"Booooo!" Sokka hissed. "Go back to the Fire Nation!"

"That isn't even the real anthem peasant," Azula told him, sighing when she got nowhere.

All of a sudden Fire Nation Man sunk into the ground, all but his head buried in the stone floor. "Too slow pansy," grinned Sargon, an uppercut motion sending his opponent high into the air. Right for Katara.

Eyes widening, she made to move when a strong arm pulled her out of the way. "You ok?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah," she breathed, then realizing the Prince had pulled her into his arms. They broke away, blushes reddening their cheeks. "Thanks Zuko."

"No problem," he rubbed the back of his neck.

Thankfully the awkward moment was dissipated by Sokka, whooping and tossing the empty bag of Fire Flakes at Fire Nation Man, moaning in the stands. "Take that loser! Whooo!" Caught up in the thrill, he noticed Azula's flat palm and slapped it, the Southern Water Tribe gesture of victory. 'Oh crap,' he thought, realizing who the hand belonged to.

Jaw dropped, Azula stared at him. To everyone's surprise she slapped his hand back, finding no harm in it. His face afterwards caused a smirk to form on her face. "What? A girl can't have a little fun?"

"Regular fun and your kind of fun don't really overlap Zula," Zuko replied, "But alright." There was no way he was rocking that boat.

Five rounds and five knockouts later, Sargon had dispatched every single one of his competitors with consummate skill and force, Sokka screaming his exhilaration each time. Even Azula and to a lesser extent Tenzin were getting in on the act, enjoying it a bit too much in Zuko and Katara's eyes. "So you're still not sold on Sargon I see," Zuko observed with a wry smirk at Katara's grimace as the Punisher took in the adulation of the audience.

The Avatar scoffed. "As if I'd allow that brute to train me." Her face fell. "At this rate I don't think I'll ever find the right teacher. Maybe I should just settle."

"Hey," Zuko took a chance and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He had barely known Katara for a week yet already felt comfortable talking to her. 'Ironic, considering you're one of the most closed off people in the empire,' he could almost hear Azula say.

'As if you're not,' his mind shot back. "A person's bending teacher is not someone you can settle on. It's almost like love, the connection is so vital. The right person will come, trust me."

He felt Katara chuckle. "Your uncle came up with that one didn't he?"

"Nah," Zuko grinned. "That was all me, though I'm starting to fear Uncle is rubbing off on me." He fake shuddered, causing her to laugh. Zuko decided he loved to hear her laugh.

"And now!" the Boulder announced from the center of the ring. "The moment you've all been waiting for, as has the Boulder. Sargon will now take on, at three and a quarter cubits and one and a half talent, making her triumphant return. Three time Earth Rumble champion, THE BLIND BANDIT!"

Floodlights zeroed in on a figure standing on the left side of the Arena. "_That's _a three time champion?" Azula asked, stunned. The Blind Bandit was a tiny, wisp of a girl. Barely Tenzin's age, she sported a well-proportioned figure underneath baggy trousers and a mannish hairdo.

"Oh please," Sokka dismissed, "She doesn't stand a chance against Sargon!"

"Hey Pebble," jeered the Blind Bandit, leering at the Boulder. "Decided to host the whole shebang instead of get your butt whooped by yours truly huh?"

The Boulder visibly chafed. "Two times was enough for the Boulder. Now rumble!"

"Good answer," she laughed.

"I don't know Sokka," Tenzin said. "She's got spunk." Sokka scoffed.

"That she does," Zuko observed, before feeling Katara tense. "Katara?"

'No, it couldn't be.' That laugh, it was the same laugh from her last vision with Aang. The girl in that had been cleaned up, dressed in expensive clothes but that face, that voice, that milky look in the eyes… this was the same girl. 'Is this the girl Aang wants as my earthbending teacher?"

"Sargon the Punisher huh?" the Blind Bandit teased. "More like Sargon the Puny."

Sargon visibly stiffened. "So you're the notorious Blind Bandit. I must say, you are much shorter than expected."

"And your voice resembles the screech of a sloth-baboon, so what's your point?" she shot back.

A cloud of rage emanated from Sargon's face. "Insolent girl. You will soon learn your place." He lunged forward.

'Perfect,' Toph Bei-Fong thought with an inward smile. Nothing but blackness in front of her, once her enemy's foot planted on the ground everything became clear. Bend fingers, arms forward, right foot back, circle, and swipe!

Rock shifted underneath till it caught Sargon's foot and shot upward, sending him collapsing on his back. An uppercut flipped him upright as Toph flung a massive boulder toward his center mass. Dazed from the first onslaught, Sargon the Punisher sailed out of the ring, defeated.

Nothing remaining in her field of "vision" but the familiar steps of the Boulder, Toph grinned. "The winner, for the record fourth non-consecutive time, the Boulder declares to be the Blind Bandit!" Cockily, she pumped her fists in the air as the crowd cheered, clearly having earned her arrogance.

Meanwhile the entire gang was staring slack jawed. "Did you see that!" Sokka exclaimed. "That was freaking awesome!"

"She does have spunk," Tenzin grinned. "I think she could be the one for you Katara."

"Oh most definitely," said Azula. "A blind earthbender, and a good one too. Now I've seen everything."

"She might be a better bender than you," Zuko smirked, enjoying the rise he got out of his sister. "So Katara, what do you?... Katara?" She was gone. How the hell did she get past him?

Down below, Toph was shaking hands with the Boulder and the other Earth Rumble organizers, eagerly inspecting her winnings. "Excuse me, Blind Bandit?" She turned to feel a young woman, slightly older than her. From the soft, flowing stride she determined that the woman was a waterbender. "You are an amazing bender."

"I don't know if you know or not, but the Blind Bandit does not to autographs." Toph began to head for a tunnel, knowing her parents would worry if she wasn't home.

"That's not it, I think you could help me with something important." Katara couldn't let her go, there was just something that told her this girl was the earthbending teacher destined for her. She put on her most friendly voice. "Please, it is vital for the world."

'Vital for the world?' Whatever this was, the girl was crazy. "Look Sugar Queen," Toph said, not knowing where the name came from but thinking it fit well, "I don't know what type of poppy flower you've been smoking but I don't care what delusions you have. Now if you'll excuse me…" She bended the rock wall up and then down behind her, disappearing.

Katara was flabbergasted. "SUGAR QUEEN!"

Slamming her hand against the rock face, Katara stomped out of the tunnel only to find Zuko waiting for her. "I assume you didn't have any luck convincing her." The waterbender nodded. "I also assume there's some alternate reason for you wanting her as your earthbending teacher other than the victory we witnessed."

Sighing, Katara knew she had to tell someone. "In my last vision with Aang, my most recent past Avatar, a glimpse of a young girl came to mind. The Blind Bandit was the young girl."

"Azula, Sokka, Tenzin, and I talked to several fans. They said the Blind Bandit only shows up to fight and is then gone, though there are rumors that she raids Imperial supply convoys."

"But in my vision she looked wealthy, someone of importance." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Whatever, I'll never find her again. There goes the right person you told me about."

"Hmmm," Zuko thought for a moment. He glanced up, eyes widening. "Well, I don't know if we can find her but I know someone that might be able to."

"And who could that be Zuko?"

"Uncle." At Katara's confusion, he pointed into the stands. Sure enough there was Iroh, conversing with the old ticket taker. "What he's doing here though I have no idea."

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"Oh, my niece and nephew," Iroh said, tears falling from his eyes as he squeezed both of them to his chest. "I know it's been a mere four days but it felt like an eternity! The Jasmine Dragon was so empty without you two."

"Uncle," Azula choked out. "You're. Crushing. Us." The Prince and Princess were close to going blue in the face.

Pulling his face back, Iroh chuckled and released them. "Forgive me Princess Azula. These old bones sometimes forget their remaining strength."

"That's fine Uncle," Zuko said, cracking his back to work out the pains. "Just give us some warning next time. You tend to be a bit…"

"Overeager," Azula finished.

Iroh sighed; it was true he showered a little too much affection on his niece and nephew. He hadn't seen his beloved Lu Ten in years and with what his brother did to his children… Zuko and Azula needed all the affection they could get.

Brushing that thought aside, he smiled and walked up to the Avatar. "You are looking more and more like the Avatar every day Miss Katara."

"Thanks General Iroh, I'm feeling more confidant as the days go by. You can thank your nephew and niece for that."

"Hey," complained Sokka.

Katara laughed. "Oh Sokka. You're my brother; I'll always need you." Sokka seemed mollified by that.

"You have every right to feel more confident," Iroh noted. "I can't believe there is a surviving air nomad among us." He approached Tenzin. "It is a shame that you cannot bend young one, but do not overlook the fact you single-handedly possess and entire civilization's culture in your hands."

"I never do," he replied, liking this old man a lot… even if he was a firebender.

Iroh sat on the chair in his hotel room. "Now, while I am ecstatic to see all of you so soon, you know that it is dangerous to keep meeting like this. My brother finds me more dangerous than the two of you Prince Zuko and Princess Azula."

"Oh paternal love," Azula mocked in a sing song voice. "How we never knew ye." The Water Tribe siblings immediately felt for their Fire Nation counterparts. Despite their mother's disappear… no kidnapping, they knew that both their parents loved them. It was why, Katara knew, Zuko was so guarded and Sokka knew why Azula was such a sarcastic pain in the ass. They vowed to always take it into consideration.

"I insisted on this meeting," Katara interrupted, trying to steer the conversation to a new topic. "I've found the perfect earthbending teacher, the one I believe was destined for me."

"That's wonderful, and so soon," Iroh beamed. "Why isn't he or she here?"

"That's the problem, uh," Katara rubbed her neck. "She's the Blind Bandit."

The smile turned into a pensive frown. "I see." Iroh's voice grew serious. "No one has ever seen the Blind Bandit outside of the arena. I happen to know since I've seen her perform in all of them." 'So that's where he went all those times he visited Gaoling this time of year,' Zuko thought. 'One mystery solved.' "Why do you believe she's your destined teacher?" Katara explained the vision. "Do not discount your vision's Katara. They will never steer you wrong if you interpret them correctly. Now, was there anything else that could identify who this young lady was?"

"Umm…" Katara closed her eyes, searching her memory for anything important. "A flying boar. There was a flying boar behind her. Is that important."

Slowly, Iroh's lips curled into a smile. "Oh yes it is."

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"If you will wait here Sir Mushi, Lord and Lady Bei-Fong will arrive momentarily." The servant bowed and exited.

"All this time, it was the Bei-Fongs?" Zuko shook his head from the irony. "The largest and most powerful damn family in Fire Commissariat Gaoling. Oh Agni."

The house was breathtaking, Katara saw. Silk tapestries, ribbed ceilings rimmed with gold leaf, colonnaded halls floored with smooth Latin marble, it was grander than the Gubernatorial Palace back home. "Probably got it licking the Emperor's boots," Sokka hissed in her ear.

"If Iroh is close to them then I'm sure they're good people," she shot back. She loved her brother but he should learn to trust people more. He had always been this way, but since they left the South Pole – and especially since Suki – it had gotten worse.

Doors opening with a whoosh, four servants preceded a dignified, middle-aged man in green/brown robes and a rather pretty woman in a green Stola. "Lord and Lady Bei-Fong," Iroh bowed formally, Katara and the others doing the same. "It is an honor to be a guest in your home."

"Thank you Mushi," Lord Bei-Fong said. He turned to the two men and two women servants in the room. "Leave us."

Once the servants left the room Lau Bei-Fong embraced Iroh. "You are a foolish and daring man Iroh, but I am glad to see you again."

"The pleasure is mine old friend," replied the former general with a delighted smile. "And Poppy; stunning as ever I see."

Poppy Bei-Fong blushed lightly. "Thank you Iroh. So this is your niece and nephew?" she asked, slightly reserved. Anyone of noble birth in the Empire knew of what happened to the Princess and Crown Prince. She got over it though and smiled radiantly. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. Your uncle has had nothing but good things to say about you two."

Zuko and Azula spared a glance at each other before thanking their host politely.

"Modest as always," Iroh added. "And the other three are my newest employees, Katara, Sokka, and… Bao," using Tenzin's father's name.

"Well it is a treat to meet all of you. What brings you to Gaoling?" Lau asked.

Iroh shrugged. "I had to buy supplies for the Jasmine Dragon and decided to stop by. I have a business proposition that might intrigue you."

"Of course. We may discuss it in the tea room over a hot cup of Jasmine. Meanwhile… Toph can entertain you young ones." Bei-Fong's eyes drifted to the hallway. "Toph dear, we have guests."

Out of the residential wing of the spacious house emerged a willowy girl, no more than Tenzin's age and clad in a cream white silk gown. Katara figured that this couldn't be more different from the spunky, tough young warrior from earlier, but her milky, unseeing eyes were firm. 'Yep, it's the Blind Bandit.'

One by one the visitors exchanged their greetings with the young girl. Last but not least was Katara. "Pleased to meet you Miss Toph," she said amiably.

At hearing the waterbender's voice, Toph's eyes immediately went wide.

**A/N: And Toph finally appears. I was originally going to put her conversation with Katara and the Katgang (still copyrighted) in the chapter but I got carried away with the Earth Rumble, lol. How did you like the Boulder as Master of Ceremonies? I thought that was a nice touch.**

**Can anyone guess who the old man was?**

**I think it'll be fun writing Toph's character; brusquely witty and with a coarse honesty. I can't wait to see how she and Azula get along (I've already got the nickname ready, wink).**

**Due to the stress of trying to set up the Katgang and whatnot I've postponed most of the character interactions and characterization moments. Now that we're getting into basically what Book One of the series was, I'm looking for awesome ideas regarding the interactions while they dodge Imperial soldiers, Dai Li assassins, bounty hunters of all stripes, and bands of roving crazies. If you want to see anything special let me know :)**

**I promise, the next chapter will be out much sooner. We'll finally get to see Toph fully integrated into the story, plus some Avatar State action!**

**Be sure to review. Your thoughts really help me come up with new ideas :)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	12. Chapter 8: The Avatar Rises

**A/N: Hey all. Took me a week to churn this out but I think it came out perfectly.**

**Disclaimer, I do not own ATLA. Done.**

**This chapter is for accioelements.**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter 8: The Avatar Rises

Toph Beifong was a complete paradox to Katara. On the outside she seemed the epitome of a cross between dignified noble and the frail – no, more like delicate blind. When the pretense was dropped however she was as coarse and undignified as Jet had been, without the unctuous charm however.

"Never thought Sugar Queen of all people would find me," popped first out of her mouth once they were alone in the Beifong's lush garden.

Snickers tumbled out of Sokka. "Sugar Queen? That is so Katara." The Avatar moved to shoot her brother a death glare only to see Tenzin giggling too while Azula smirked. Zuko's face was impassive but his eyes sparkled with mirth. 'You too Zuko?'

A grin spread on Toph's lips. "All my nicknames are well earned by figuring out the person, Snoozles." Now it was Katara's turn to snicker while Sokka shot her a death glare. No one else's expressions changed. "But that didn't answer my implied question. How did you find me?" Her voice changed to a firm demand; from her moves at the Earth Rumble Katara knew the seemingly unassuming girl could back it up.

"No," Toph stated suddenly, shaking her head to silence everyone. "Let me guess, you described my amazing self to Sparky's and Princess Pouty's uncle over there and he put two and two together." She scoffed. "That has to be the dumbest detective story I've ever heard."

"Princess Pouty?" Sokka asked Azula with a grin. She scowled and folded her arms. 'I do not pout.' The expression on Sokka's face must have meant 'Sure… keep telling yourself that." Azula averted her gaze, unable to help the light reddish tinge on her cheeks.

"Half true," Zuko stated flatly. Brushing back a shaggy strand out of his good eye, he didn't much like "Sparky" (though he personally thought all nicknames dubbed by this little ball of well-earned arrogance were spot on) but wasn't actively pissed by it as Azula, Sokka, and Katara were. Besides, someone had to get them back to business. "There was also something else."

Popping onto a stone statue, Toph crossed her feet and leaned back. "I'm listening Sparky." She hawked and spat in the adjacent koi pond, smacking her lips together. "But if it's something like wolf-bat spirits nursing Latin twins that spoke to you with their minds then I'm out of here."

"You see…"

"Katara is the Avatar," blurted Tenzin. Zuko glowered, Azula smacked the boy about the head, and Katara looked at him incredulously. "Well you are," he shrugged, shrinking back. Katara couldn't be mad at him though. 'He looks a lot like Aang, cheery and innocent.' Personalities like that were few and far between in the Empire.

Shifting her gaze to the earthbender, milky green eyes widened in pure shock. Whatever she was expecting it wasn't that. Her mind seemed to be working a mile a minute behind her eyes.

Soon though, the corners of Toph's mouth twitched upward. The earthbender threw her head back as uproarious laughter echoed loudly from her throat. "Oh spirits… hahahaha… Avatar… hahahaha… Sugar Queen… hahahaha… so rich."

Hands drifted to her hips. "I don't understand how that can be so far-fetched." Katara scowled at the still cackling Toph Beifong.

"Please, you are just too much of a waterbender." Toph sat up and gestured over her body several times. "Your movements, your demeanor, the manner of your speech. Classic Water Tribe."

Katara stood mute. "I can't, for the life of me, find anything wrong with that," Sokka finally answered. "The Water Tribe kicks ass." He did a fist pump in the air.

"Which is why I kick yours in every sparring match," Azula replied, finding enjoyment in his glower.

Still dismissive of the whole idea of Katara's being, Toph waved her arm dismissively. "Besides, the Avatar died on the first night of the Subjugation Wars. And even if he wasn't, I highly doubt he'd be reincarnated into a dainty, frail, girly-girl…"

Cutting off the earthbender, Katara's face flushed an enraged red. "Girly-girl!" Her foot slammed into the ground, the pond rippling next to her. "How dare you sit here insulting me!" Her arms gestured violently as they chopped through the air. Turtle-ducks quacked fear, the water whipping into large waves. "You may sit here on your arrogant high horse while everyone else around you suffers from the war and the Imperial brutality, but that doesn't give you the right to…"

"Alright, alright!" Toph bellowed, the pond having turned into a near gale. "No need to traumatize the turtle-ducks." She hopped off the statue, stomping her foot. An earthen platform sprang up, a midsize rock resting in the center. "Tell you what. If you can smash this rock into two, then I'll believe you."

Karara's anger washed away, a fearful look replacing it. She glanced furtively at Zuko who simply shrugged. "I haven't learned earthbending yet."

"Every Avatar is an innate earthbender. I don't like people to waste my time so get cracking!" She tapped her fist on the surface for added effect.

Shifting on the balls of her feet, inside Katara was trembling. 'You haven't learned earthbending yet. She'll never believe you.' The disbelieving, impatient scowl on Toph's face only proved that.

Her friends and brother however were completely supportive. "Smash that bastard," Sokka whooped in his classic manner.

"It won't know what hit it," Tenzin echoed.

"I'm not sure if you can but why not try?" Azula said in her own way of encouragement.

"Do it Katara. I know you can," Zuko breathed, setting a hand on her shoulder. A tingling shudder coursed through Katara at his touch, somehow building her confidence. With a silent prayer to Tui and La she slammed her fist onto the rock. Nothing.

Toph snorted. "Some Avatar."

"You don't have to insult her…" Tenzin began.

"Can it Twinkletoes," the blind earthbender shot back.

Eyes closing to let in a breath, Katara felt an inner flame warm her spirit. Again her fist came down. Nothing.

A chuckle escaped the Blind Bandit's lips. "That was even worse than the last time."

'Katara, inner strength lies within,' said an ethereal voice from inside her very soul. It sounded somewhat like the spiritual voice of Aang, only that of a female. She breathed further, feet beginning to notice tiny vibrations in the earth. Yet they were too feint.

"Come on! I knew you were a fake from the moment I met you…"

Eyes popping open, blazing righteous fury. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" With a piercing cry her hand sliced through the air. Katara's fist vaporized the rock from first contact, tiny particles of dust wafting into the air.

Once the white-hot anger subsided and the red-tinged daze cleared, Katara was left to watch the now empty perch dumbfounded, jaw dropped in shock. Toph was merely grinning. "Nice job Sugar Queen, I mean Katara." The grin never faltered, simply taking in the supposed shock of the group.

"Wha? But? Ah?" Sokka was babbling at this point. It suddenly dawned on him. "You knew all this time?"

"Of course." Toph's nonchalant attitude made it seem obvious. "I knew from the start none of you were lying. Just had to make sure Sugar Queen here was the right sort of person that I could teach. That's why you're here right?"

Azula couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "A well-executed bluff. Well done Blind Bandit." While not the kind of woman to give compliments, this was just too brilliant not to praise.

Ignoring the chatter, Zuko strode to Katara, the young Avatar silent. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Katara murmured. "I just earthbended."

"Yeah you did." Deciding it was time to unearth just how a blind girl could become a master bender, Zuko nudged Katara forward. "So we've played your little game Miss Beifong…"

"Call me Toph. Much less hoity-toity."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Fine _Toph_. How can a blind girl earthbend so well?"

She snickered. "Well, when a mommy from an earthbending family and a daddy from an earthbending family love each other very much…"

"Argh!" His face flushed with anger, something that Sokka and Azula both found amusing, while Katara did too but also heated up a little herself. He seemed rather handsome while angry. "Not what I meant."

"You're just too easy to rile Sparky." Not that Toph would ever admit this to anyone, but she thought this group of idiots was actually quite fun. It was clearly the most fun she'd had in years, and that was counting the Earth Rumbles. "I've always been able to earthbend, but the blindness is actually an asset rather than a curse in that regard.

"When every person moves, they send out vibrations through the earth, which I can pick up on through my extra-sensitive touch. You see, I can – well see – with earthbending by noticing these vibrations and acting accordingly."

"Wait, hold up miss Blind Bandit," Sokka interrupted, Momo adding a shrill chirp from his snuggled post inside the handbag. "How does any of this help you tell who's lying or not?"

Laughing once more, she walked up and slapped Sokka on the back. Her palm nearly sent the 'Great Warrior' staggering. "That's a good question Snoozles, and I shall answer. Everyone has a tell when they lie, and thanks to my earthbending I can sense it."

Seeing an opportunity to take this girl down a peg – while amusing, Azula didn't think this girl's arrogance would help them in the long run – the Fire Princess spoke. "Are you sure?" At Toph's not Azula shaped her voice into a flat monotone. "I am a purple, seven cubit tall platypus-bear with two cubit claws and a robe made of lion-turtle skin."

Toph blinked, her grin faltering. "Most people have a tell," she said softly. Azula hummed in triumph, enjoying Sokka's rather impressed stare.

"Wow." Katara felt this to all be too good to be true. When Aang sent her visions they always ended well. 'First Zuko and now Toph.' He was 2 for 2. "That's amazing."

"She's probably the best earthbender in history," Tenzin breathed, Toph preening at the accolade.

"Soooo… you are going to need and earthbending trainer if you are the Avatar…"

Taking the cue, Katara stood straight and bowed to the shorter earthbender. "Toph Beifong, it would be an honor for you to be my earthbending teacher."

The smile dropped into a concerned frown, Toph shifting her unseeing eyes to the house. "I'm, I'd like to accept… but my parents…"

"There she is!" a gruff voice yelled from the doorway. Eyes widened at the distinctive uniforms of Imperial troops. "Arrest that blind girl!"

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This was bad, this was very bad. Bad actually seemed like the understatement of the year as Katara thought about it more and more. 'Tui and La help us.'

_Pila_ and smoking palms directed at them, the Alpha Group squadron – Zhao's personal irregular troops – watched the group intently as three dragged out Iroh and the Beifongs from the house. "Please Major," pleaded Lau Beifong, thrown to the muddy ground of the garden. "We have done nothing against the Emperor."

Gazing into their eyes, the Major grinned darkly. The air seemed to superheat around Katara as he shifted his gaze their way. 'A firebender.' "It is not what you have done Lord Beifong," he mused, voice a low, throaty purr. A malevolent purr. "But your daughter on the other hand…" A flushed hand rose and ghosted over Toph's cheek. She wanted to stab a shard of rock through this asshole's gut, but the metal chains and three _pila _leveled at her restricted the earthbender to shooting a death glare. "Your daughter has allied with the disgraced Prince and Princess of the Empire," he seemed almost giddy and tying Zuko and Azula to this – Sokka finding himself in chains as well for struggling while Katara and Tenzin kept quiet, "To make use of her talents as one of the top earthbenders in this region."

"Are you crazy?" asked Lady Beifong. "My Toph? She's blind, a precious soul who wouldn't hurt a fly!"

Teeth bared in a wolfish smile, causing Katara to cringe slightly. "Then how do you explain this?" A soldier presented the championship belt from the Earth Rumble, tossing it in the mud at the noble couple's knees.

Ashen realization draining the blood from their skin. "Toph," rasped her father. "Is this true?" Toph couldn't even make eye contact, a tacit admission.

"Enough! These benders are too much a threat to the Empire to leave free! Line them up!" the Major shouted, pistol in hand. "For their treason against his Divine Majesty." A sickening leer was directed toward Zuko, Azula, Sokka, and Toph, soldiers roping their arms together roughly. "I hereby pronounce the sentence. Summary and immediate death!"

Primal fear shot through Katara's neurons as if it were Azula's lightning. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. The Avatar froze in fear, everything almost as surreal as was terrifying.

"Firebenders! Take point!" A ragged execution line marched back from the prisoners, smoke already emanating from their hands and fists. Zuko glowered darkly at them, Sokka and Toph screaming rather profane taunts, while Azula spat hatefully.

"No!" Katara shook off her stupor and booked for her friends and brother. Only for her cheek to meet the back of the Major's hand.

"Back away bitch!" he snarled, glancing upon her prone form crumpled on the ground, face down in the mud. "Maybe I should kill you as well." Laughing, he moved to clasp her shoulder.

He pitched back from an invisible force of wind, air knocked out of him as he hit the ground with a thud. Looking up, the blood drained from his face at the piercing blue-white glow in Katara's eyes.

'It can't be.'

A firm grip nearly crushed his face. Palm shoving forward through the rippling air, flames licking out, he aimed directly for Katara's midsection. The blood-draining sight of her palm slamming into his was his last.

All watched in a mix of terror and awe as the once dainty water tribe girl deflected the blast of fire back into the Major, igniting her own hand to immolate the sadistic officer. Trembling, half the soldiers stilled from fear – several wetting themselves – firebenders began to form their force stances while infantry leveled their pistols and _pila_. A ragged volley filled the air with swirling gunpowder.

Zuko's heart pounded in his chest, everything seeming in slow motion. Cracking through the air, in her hyper-sensitive state the Avatar noticed the rounds coming. Gritting her teeth in a determined snarl, hands whipped up a massive sheen of ice from the very grass underneath, rounds embedding in them harmlessly. 'Agni.'

"Get inside!" Iroh bellowed, grabbing his niece and nephew to drag them inside. The Beifongs did the same for Toph, while Tenzin helped Sokka to his feet and guided him through – though Sokka did lose his footing and collapse into the mud several times.

Lances of fire shot from the fists of the firebenders, but they were extinguished midair by the Avatar. None even reached the ice.

Shards rocketed out of the sheet towards the soldiers. Rather than retard the penetrating points, ice sheared through the armor and sent soldier after soldier crumpling into bloody piles on the garden. No matter what training, what discipline, what knowledge of military police behind them with pistols aimed for their guts had been drilled into them, even the most hardened soldiers possessed a breaking point.

Watching as a young girl, no the Avatar, defeat and killed their commander and their comrades was too much. Much too much even for the veterans. Each dropped their weapons and fled, many stripping off their armor to run faster.

Single-mindedly tasked by the collective minds of hundreds of past avatars, arms swirled around her body sheathing her in a wall of water and flame to shoot out at the fleeing soldiers.

From the safety of the stone house, Zuko watched in horror as she didn't snap out of it. "She's going to destroy the entire area!" He began to charge to her.

"Prince Zuko, it's suicide," Iroh cautioned. "We must run the risk and let it burn itself out." The prince ignored him and left the mansion, legs pumping.

Shielding his eyes from the whipping water circling the Avatar, Zuko trudged forward, planting one leg firmly on the ground before planting the other. "Katara!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. She was still consumed with the might of hundreds of generations, still wielding the power only one could possess. "It's over Katara! We're safe!" grabbing Katara's palm, the Prince pushed through the icy water barrier and grabbed her hand. Slowly, he pulled her down. "No one is dead. Not I, Zula, Toph, Tenzin, or Sokka." He dropped to a more soothing tone. "You saved us all."

The gust and tempest surrounding him hitched, water plummeting to the earth and flames extinguishing. Bright blue-white flickered for several seconds before changing back to cerulean blue – Zuko never remembering as beautiful a color.

Stirring softly, Katara groaned from an aching headache. "Wha… what happened?" She was too dizzy and groggy to notice who's arms she was wrapped in, only that they felt heavenly. Then blackness.

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Leaning back in his chair, High Admiral Zhao groaned pleasurably at his wife's ministrations. Fingers gripped her hair in a vice, forcing her head further and faster to hasten the pace. Ty Lee may have been a pain to maintain – her noble heritage enabled her to possess a sort of innate arrogance and high self-esteem that was lacking in the lower class women that graced his bed – but her beauty was unparalleled in the former Fire Nation and current Empire.

Letting out a half-grunt, half-groan, he finished in her mouth just as a loud knock rapped on the oaken study door. Anger coursed through Zhao's veins. "What part of 'Do not disturb,' do you not understand!" he snarled at the door, buckling his uniform trousers.

To the side, Ty Lee washed the vile liquid out of her mouth at the washbasin. 'Damn him, damn that monster.' She hated her _husband_ – the noblewoman used that term at the very lightest of meanings – the _thing_ more monster than man. In a way, she wished she were Azula. Her old friend endured hell on earth but at least she escaped this.

"I'm sorry sir, but this is an urgent communication from Alpha Squadron. It arrived half an hour ago by messenger hawk."

Wiping an errant tear from her cheek, Ty Lee thanked the Creator for the interruption. If this was important as he stated then there would be no further 'activities' tonight. Zhao would either celebrate with his wine and… decorations, or fly into a rage in which case she would slink out.

Scroll in his hand, Zhao mumbled obscenities at the interruption of his pleasure. "This better be good." Hands began to unfurl the scroll. "Alpha group better have found the Blind…"

The scroll almost fell from his hand. Eyes widening, Ty Lee watched as her husband's face and hands drained of all color. He had never once grown pale in the nightmarish years of their marriage. 'What could the note have contained?'

"Get out!" he bellowed, pure bile in his voice. "Get out Ty Lee!" The noblewoman simply stood there, trembling. "OUT!" Smoke billowing from his hand, Ty Lee gladly obeyed.

Once the door shut with a whoosh, Zhao staggered to the liquor decanter in the maple cabinet. He poured himself a stiff drink. Then two, then three, all disappearing down his gullet in a fiery stream. "How, but…" his hands trembled, glass falling to the floor where it shattered.

The alcohol did nothing to ease the shuddering blows to the gut the spirits were sending him. "I saw him…" It seemed like yesterday, the black night, the young boy whose life was leeching out of him at his feet. "He… he… he died right in front of me."

But this couldn't be a lie or a joke, for this was of such a magnitude that any message had to be accurate. "The Avatar has returned."

Teeth grinding as the room's temperature raised to unimaginable levels for a non-firebender, Zhao's harried brain struggled to iron out the finer points of the message. "It is a woman, a young girl. She has allied with a powerful earthbender and the exiled prince and princess." Lips curled into a snarl at the two traitors. "Their burning should have put to rest any rebellion!"

The blood drained once more. 'Burning.' Future memories flashed before Zhao's eyes, memories of fire and death. This had occurred under his watch, in his dominion. The Emperor would blame him, and those that found themselves at the mercy of the Emperor's wrath would feel the descending fires…

And to protect himself and his hard won power… "I have to capture her. By any means."

**A/N: So Zhao will be the one to hunt them in this arc, instead of it being Zhao and Zuko. Who, besides me, was expecting this?**

**I had a pretty fun time getting Katara to spas out. Of course Toph would push her buttons as she did in cannon, and the fact that she's the Avatar only made it worse ;)**

**Man, those soldiers didn't see it coming. For those of you who want some longer bending fights, don't worry, they will come. Here was short only because no one was expecting it and so they broke easily.**

**Anyway, when Katara finally wakes up from her Avatar state induced haze (I utilized some scenes from cannon as a blueprint), what will she find? Stay tuned :)**

**Be sure to review.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	13. Chapter 9: Imagine the Fire

**A/N: Hey everyone! Who's ready for another chapter?**

**We return to our little group just as Katara's training begins. She has all her teachers, so what's going to stop her?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA.**

**Can anyone guess where the inspiration for the chapter title came from?**

**Once more, a talent is a unit of measurement from ancient Rome: approx. 71 lbs.**

**Review and Enjoy :)**

Chapter 9: Imagine the Fire

_Low firelight illuminated the long expanse of the colonnaded room, casting flickering shadows everywhere. The two men stared each other down, neither willing to back down. "I saw the colony Sozin," exclaimed the supplicant, standing defiantly before the throne. "How dare you invade Earth Kingdom territory?"_

"_I will only explain myself to you once Roku," stated the bearded figure gracing the throne behind a wall of roaring flames. "What was done was necessary."_

"_It upsets the balance!"_

"_With how the world is faring these days, perhaps it is time the balance be upset old friend." Eyes narrowed of the seated figure. "You are a citizen of the Fire Nation, a scion of it as I am. How can you betray us for the corruption you seem to serve?"_

"_Don't do this Sozin!" the other man pleaded. "You threaten the entire foundation of what the world has built itself on."_

"_As I said, sometimes it has to be done… for the greater good of society."_

"_And you think the Fire Nation is the proper deliverer of this 'Change?'" He couldn't believe it, couldn't believe the arrogance and apostasy that engulfed his best friend._

"_No other has seen fit to do what has been done – not even you. I offered years ago a partnership to bring progress to the world, to lift it from the stagnation and corruption engulfing it. Yet you chose this dogmatism over the people." He couldn't believe his best friend's zealotry, the rigidity toward a flawed system._

_The supplicant averted his gaze to the marbled floor, eyes closing in contained anger and sadness. "Very well Sozin. It appears we have reached the end of this friendship. Be warned, if you do not stop this, I will stop you."_

_Registering his words, rage bubbling forth from his core, the ruler launched a jet of flame at his former friend._

_The entire image soon glowed an ethereal white, a swirling cloud consuming all…_

Bolting abruptly into a sitting position, a sheen of heated sweat drenching her forehead, Katara's eyes swiveled violently to take in her surroundings. Images of the dream faded from view, instead replaced with the simple tent shrouding her from the outside world. 'How did I get here?' she thought, mind drawing a blank. What the hell was that dream about? It had been so vivid. 'A memory? From a past life?' Katara felt that was the only real explanation. "I'll ask Aang about it," she mused idly. Slowly, she rose from her sleeping bag.

Shooting a spark from her snapping fingers, Azula lit the bone dry twigs and logs underneath the hanging pot. Flames growing hotter, the chilled rive porridge inside began to bubble. Sokka glanced at her and Zuko with a raised eyebrow. "Imagine that, a Prince and Princess knowing how to cook."

Zuko waved it off, while Azula shifted her gaze to glare at him. "Well uncle did have us working in the kitchens of the inn. Why? Does it offend your sensibilities?"

Sokka couldn't help the smirk that threatened to curve his lips. Her haughty, precise tone was oddly alluring in a manner of speaking – that or he liked teasing her. 'Perhaps both.' "Oh nothing, it was just curiosity. Considering one would expect a legion of servants to wait on a Prince and Princess hand and foot. The lap of luxury."

Turning away, Azula felt a stab of pain shudder through her before bringing back her mask. "Sometimes assumptions cloud your judgement."

That statement puzzled Sokka, but before he could enquire the nearest tent flap opened as his sister headed towards them. "Morning sis," he said.

"Ugh," she groaned, stretching the knots in her back. "How long was I out?" she asked the nearest person to her – which happened to be the Fire Prince.

Staring at her figure, at how her chest rose as she stretched, Zuko was momentarily distracted. "Uh," he shook his head. "Nearly twenty hours. Your first real foray into the Avatar state must have drained you."

"Avatar state?" Katara knew there was much she didn't know about the particulars of her nature. "I guess I'm going to ask Aang about this too."

The mention of her immediate past life drew Tenzin's attention. "You speak to Aang often?"

"On occasion," she replied, smiling at the young Air Nomad's eagerness when it came to his powerful great-uncle.

Tenzin nodded, sipping at a cup of tea clutched between his fingers. "Is he the only past Avatar you've talked too? My mom used to tell me that the Avatar could communicate with any previous Avatar that he or she wanted."

"No, only Aang so far." Tenzin's question only brought Katara's mind back to her dream. 'Who is Roku?' she thought. Sozin was clearly Fire Lord Sozin, the monster who started the Subjugation War and began the world's descent in to slavery… but what was he saying about progress? About the greater good? It didn't sound like how the Emperor described the Great Lord Sozin, conqueror of millions.

Lost in her thoughts, she only managed to catch the tail end of Zuko's comments. "…with Katara's secret out Zhao is likely to be looking for us."

"Zhao?" Tenzin asked, confused. Beside him Sokka's eyes blazed with a white hot anger at Zhao's name. "Shouldn't the Emperor come after us?" The mere thought caused an icy wind to pass through all.

"Father? As if." Azula chuckled grimly. "He wouldn't bother fighting anything himself, but also Zhao is the one commanding the provinces. He won't let news of this get out to anyone, lest it hurt his position."

"So basically he'd fear dying at the Emperor's hand if news got out the Avatar came back under his watch?" Sokka asked.

Zuko nodded. "Father isn't… the most forgiving of people." His voice had an edge to it, a painful one. Katara wanted to wrap an arm around his shoulder, but settled with a comforting pat of the top of his hand. A slight electric shock passed through them as their skin touched.

"Um," Zuko stammered slightly. "As I was saying, with Zhao likely hunting us as we speak, we need to start your training once agai…"

"Yaaaaaaaaa-whooooooooo!" Suddenly a tan-green blurr shot out of the small earth tent tucked in the corner, slamming into the ground. "It is so good to be out of that walled monstrosity," Toph exclaimed, earthbending a rock angel in the ground as she spread her arms and legs.

Finding Katara watching him with a questioning look, Zuko shrugged. "You wanted an earthbending teacher Katara, and she insisted on coming with us when Uncle took her parents into hiding."

Gazing at the bubbling pot, Katara was forced to concede the point. Her training was going to be… quite lively indeed.

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"Get into the carriage Ty Lee!" hissed Zhao, not bothering to even pretend to control his temper. He was moving his retinue to Omashu, and Ty was once again taking too long a time to suit him. Grabbing his wife's shoulders, he half pushed, half threw her through the open door.

'I don't have time for this.' A hand made its way down his face, frustration and gripping fear draining all blood from the skin. "Give me options!" he screamed at his two most trusted officers once they were headed to his own personal carriage.

"This will need to be done stealthily," began Yu, one of his best counterinsurgency commanders. "Give me the Rough Rhinos and on additional earthbender and I'll find them. Us and us alone."

"Pah," scoffed Chan, Zhao's adjutant. "These are kids. Powerful kids but kids nonetheless. They are alone and scared in the wilderness. Give me a full legion and I'll have them to you forthwith."

Disagreements in his own staff didn't usually bother Zhao. He enjoyed sowing discord among them – it made them less likely to turn on him if they were too busy one-upping each other. However, right now he could do without it. Sweat broke out on his brow. Vivid images of the Emperor's fire plagued him with the consequences of not catching the Avatar. And Zhao feared death more than anything.

"Find the Avatar," he ordered simply. "Both of you!"

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Hovering directly over the forested earth, harsh rays of the sun beat down mercilessly on Katara as she stood in her Water Tribe female tunic. Her naturally bronzed skin would keep away the burns, but there was still the problem of heatstroke. _Not for a master waterbender_. Each time the heat grew unbearable she'd just pass a wave of vapor over her skin. The cooling shudders coursed a pleasantness through her system.

Standing in front of her, torso clad in a training vest that displayed muscular arms bigger than some men's legs, Zuko kept his golden eyes trained on Katara's. "Though they may be opposite elements on the physical and cosmic scales, fire and water both share characteristics for benders of each." His voice was a low baritone, purged of emotion. The deep timbre caused Katara to shudder slightly. "Both elements – unlike earth and air – do not rely on physical characteristics to be bent successfully. Water and fire are harnessed by the bender's expression of emotions. The former is harnessed by the bender's sense of…"

"Tranquility and openness," Katara finished. Pakku had always insisted she keep her mind open to all things, the fact making her a better waterbender. Apparently her teacher knew much about all forms of bending. 'Zuko really is a man of all trades,' she thought appreciatively.

Nodding, the Firebender stepped farther away, never once breaking eye contact. "Good. Your teacher was very skilled. Firebending also relies on the inherent emotion of the bender. However…"

Suddenly, Zuko swiveled and began engaging in a flurry of attacks. Flame shot out of his hands, impacting into a large boulder rather violently. Katara watched in awe, the set of her firebending master's jaw firm, muscles rippling as he launched attack after attack. Tingling all over, the way she sucked her lower lip between her teeth was unavoidable.

Cracking through the now superheated air, Zuko's fist shot out one final attack when he abruptly stopped, drawing into an upright stance and composing himself. "The firebender relies on passion." He cracked his neck, walking closer to her. She could literally feel the heat radiating off his body. "Whereas waterbending takes the flowing nature of water, firebending accepts the pure energy of the sun. Only the most powerful, expressive emotions can power the bender's inner flame. Anger, fear, hatred…"

"Love?" she stated without thinking, immediately forcing a blush upon realization.

Zuko blinked twice before nodding. "Yes, that too." Willing the strength to shake the thoughts her comment elicited, He backed two paces back. "Uncle always told me that fire is life. The pure energy contained within – similar to the life giving rays of the sun – must be harnessed by emotions of a similar energy within ourselves. Since anger is usually the most simple, most firebenders will use it as the base of their bending."

It made sense to Katara, though something was nagging her. "If passion is the case to harness firebending, why do you and Azula always meditate constantly?" Katara always saw them do so in the mornings – almost as a waterbender in pursuit of base tranquility and inner peace.

"Simple." The flat and slightly amused tint of Azula's voice echoed from a fallen log a little bit to the side. She, Sokka, Toph, and Tenzin were watching the session with rapt attention. "One can easily lose control of unbridled passion. Breathing and spiritual calmness are what serve as the counterweight, similar to controlling the amount of fuel or air available to a fire."

A sharp slap resonated as Zuko facepalmed himself. "Don't you have anything better to do than bother my training session Zula?" Katara giggled, thinking her hotheaded teacher could use some meditation right now.

"We were bored," Toph responded. "Watching Snoozles here get his butt whooped at fencing is only funny the first dozen times." Subtlety was not the young earthbender's strong suit.

"It wasn't a dozen," Sokka grumbled.

"Dude," Tenzin remarked, patting the warrior on the back. "Forgive me, but that was brutal to watch." Sokka said nothing, merely glowering.

"If you won't mind." Gripping her shoulders, Zuko turned Katara back to him. "What my sister says, much as it pains me to say, is true. Fire can easily grow from a controlled flame to a conflagration. Destroying everything in its path, breathing and steeled emotions are all that keep it in check. Do you understand?"

"Crystal." Traveling across the world, Katara had seen firsthand how fire and firebending could grow uncontrollable. "I feel my waterbending could actually help me in that respect."

Smirking at her insight, Zuko snorted. "One step at a time my young apprentice. Now, let's see if you can give a proper force stance."

Katara furrowed her thin brows. "What you just did?"

"Yes, it is the most basic exercise in all of firebending. A full on, frontal assault. Sharp, strong, and bullheaded. Passionate." The elegance of the last word sounded weird in Zuko's particular tone; Katara thought it fit him though. He was… passionate, despite all the efforts she saw him try to quash that nature within him. "Set it up, but remember. A strong root on the ground is vital. You must both be firm, but able to move."

'A contradiction for sure.' Doing her best to imitate her teacher, Katara set up.

"Not bad for a beginner. Now," Zuko stretched out the central vowel. "Begin!"

Sailing her fist forward, she gave it her all but nothing but a tiny spark left her fist.

"You call that firebending? That was pitiful! Again!"

Summoning whatever passion she could, Katara let loose again. Nothing. "Damn it!"

Zuko felt he had sensed the problem. "You're still thinking like a waterbender. No tranquility, no inner calmness. Passion! Anger! Emotion!"

"I'm trying!" she yelled in frustration, attempting the attack again only to fail once more. "It's hard to abandon years of teaching!"

The four bystanders were watching the farce in barely disguised despair. "This is pathetic," Azula remarked, shaking her head. "Zuzu at least had enough passion to go around."

"Give Katara some credit," Sokka rose to his sister's defense. "She's giving it her all."

"Yeah. Water and fire are opposites after all," Tenzin added. If he were the Avatar like great-uncle Aang, he'd definitely have trouble earthbending.

Of the four of them, Toph was the most nonplussed about everything. "This is getting nowhere. Let me."

Failing once more, Katara was about to give up when a sharp pain stabbed through her skull. "Agh!" she cried out, swiveling her head to see Toph grinning like an idiot. "What the hell!"

"Get angry Sugar Queen!" the Blind Bandit hollered back, a twinkle in her milky eyes. "You know you have it in you!"

Another rock impacted on Katara, this time in her side. "I get it! You can stop now!" Nothing came after that so she resumed her stance, only for a third projectile to slam into her back. "STOP IT!"

"Alright, alright," Toph chuckled. "I'll stop." The flick of her wrist sent another rock at the waterbender.

Ears picking up the barking laugh of the tiny earthbender, an inner heat bubbled from inside Katara – steam began to hiss and emanate from her skin. "AHHHHHHHH!" Jet after jet of red-orange lame erupted from her fists, the boulder she was targeting beginning to scorch a charred black as she forced the attack.

Watching with rapt attention, eyes flickering from his pupil to the smug Toph – legs perched up and a grin on her face – Zuko allowed a chuckle to escape his lips. 'So I have to get Katara angry." It didn't seem like much a problem – besides, with the forceful attacks and toned muscles delivering so much power while still so lithe, she did look quite attractive angry.

A frown formed, pondering what that thought could mean.

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The Provincial Command Headquarters was a massive building, comprising nearly a tenth of the total area of the city of Omashu, propped on massive metal pylons driven into the rocks of the sloped incline. Hundreds of rooms were delegated into a multitude of staff functions, thousands of talents of paper and hundreds of messenger hawks passing through the facility every given day.

What proved to be the centerpiece of the facility was the Command and Control Hall. Raised platforms served as walkways and planning centers for the generals, the innate talent of the messenger hawks allowing commanders to direct campaigns from the HQ itself – the gathering of staff in the lower levels laboring over orders and dispatches enabled such. There was even a rumor that new technological developments could enable the building to fight battles thousands of miles away.

Shuffling several dispatch scrolls underneath his arm, the staff officer moved to take them to the hawk aviaries when a globule of filthy, brown saliva smacked into the ground in front of him. Eyes shifted upward to find a surly character with a reptilian monitor-buzzard perched on his shoulder. Grinning down at him from the upper walkway, the man revealed a mouth missing several teeth – the ones left over were various shades of black and yellow.

Disgusted, he turned towards his friend in the desk next to him. "Pirates," he whispered.

"Bounty hunters too," the other officer – a Water Tribesman from Fire Commissariat Northland to his friend's residence in Campania Province. "We don't need these scum." The catwalks currently inhabited at least a dozen of the vile, abhorrent breed.

"Aten-shun!" Every soldier in the hall clicked their heels as High Admiral Zhao entered the room. The look that graced his face was one of murder, but all present couldn't think of a time when he didn't sport either that or an expression of smug satisfaction. Considering Zhao a lecherous pig was common among the soldiers in the provinces; the willingness to mention it out loud was another matter entirely.

Ignoring the staff officers below him, Zhao focused his churlishness on the assembled characters. While not a single cell in his body wanted to deal with the lot, Chan's idea to add a third dimension to the search for the Avatar was a sound one.

"Bounty hunters," he began. "The deeper reasons as to why you are here need not concern you." He started to pace in front of them. "A substantial award awaits the one who finds the Water Tribe bandit known as Katara!" Each and every one of them had her wanted sketch tucked away and memorized. "You are to use any means at your disposal, but I want her alive." A finger pointed at the hulking figure with an elaborate tattoo dotting his bald head. "No disintegration." He stomped toward a slender, gorgeous woman with flowing jet black hair. "I better see results soon."

"Of course not Your Excellency," Jun replied, muttering obscenities under her breath once he passed. Whomever this girl was – maybe someone who rejected the High Admiral's lewd offers – the money for catching her would comfortably pad her pockets for the next fifty lifetimes.

**A/N: I know someone will guess the inspiration for the last scene! **

**For the little flashback – which was modeled after the "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" from book 3 – I have decided to shake a few things up a bit on the historical background of the war and whatnot. It will make itself apparent in later chapters.**

**I am having a lot of fun with the banter and the training scenes. As Aang had a lot of trouble getting in the right earthbender mindset, it would be understandable for Katara to have the same problem with firebending. Toph's intervention seemed necessary. I am looking forward to writing the earthbending training.**

**How are the lessons seeming? Do they capture the stuff about bending we learned on the show? **

**With regards to the Provincial HQ, think of the Omashu Governor's Palace, only bigger.**

**Be sure to review.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	14. Chapter 10: Valley of Death

**A/N: Hi all. I apologize profusely for the long delay. I was in Australia for two weeks – in which I had a blast; the Land Down Under is a beautiful nation – and then my girlfriend requested a two shot as her Christmas present. I can't deny her anything, so that took some time. **

**Anyway, I'm here now. This is a really short update, so forgive me, but with a lot of stuff happening. It leads up to a major chapter in Zutara development – and two chapters of intense action. I hope you like.**

**Disclaimer: If it is on TV, then I don't own them.**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter 10: Valley of Death

_The tranquil breeze wafting across her face, Katara always found the Spirit World a calming oasis – a great contrast from the bustle and evil of the real world. However, she had only been at the same mountaintop temple each time she was here so she never really explored the additional world she served as a bridge for. _

_Whooshing being picked up by her ears, Katara turned her head just as Aang descended from above, staff in hand. "Greetings Avatar Katara," he said stoically, bowing his tattooed head to face her._

"_Avatar Aang," Katara reciprocated, dipping her head in the traditional curtsy of the Northern Water Tribe nobility – taught to her by Gran Gran. Once the formalities were done, her formal half-smile morphed into a friendly beam. "Good to see you Aang. Thanks for meeting me."_

_Gone was the enlightened monk – the chipper twelve year old boy was back, toothy grin and all. "Wasn't a problem." Leaping nearly six cubits in the air – showing off his airbending – the past Avatar made a perfect dismount. Falling into a leaning position onto a cushioned Latin-Semite lawn couch. "I'm always happy to talk to someone close to my age. Don't get me wrong," he grinned, "I love my past lives, but they're all, like, a hundred."_

_Katara giggled. "Well technically Aang, you're a hundred and twelve."_

_Aang snorted, nodding. "I guess stat is true." He propped his head on his arms and locked her eyes. "So what's on your mind oh future self of mine?"_

_Face falling, Katara sighed deeply. "I can't seem to get the feel for firebending."_

_Brows furrowing, Aang's expression grew serious. "Go on."_

"_The emotions and basics are there, I know it," Katara began, pouring it all out. "I practice and practice the forms and katas with all my strength and time, but… the flames either come too weak or too out of control. Zuko is patient – which doesn't seem like him at all – but I can tell he's both worried and frustrated with me."_

'_The boy likes you,' the enlightened monk part of Aang's spirit thought, but that was a problem for another time. "Fire is the opposite of water, so it is only natural that you have this problem. Avatar Roku had a similarly tough time with waterbending."_

"_I know, but I don't have the luxury of time he did…"_

"_Relax Katara." Aang rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The creator knows the right time for you to unlock your bending, and it will come – I promise you. Just keep your chi open and your mind sharp."_

That had been last night, and Katara was still reflecting on her past life's advice. Returning from her foray for drinking water, she arrived on their campsite to find Appa moaning off to the side. "What's wrong buddy?" she asked before noticing he hadn't been fed today. "Sokka," Katara muttered, knowing it was his job to feed Appa. 'Probably lounging around.'

Sure enough, she found Zuko, Tenzin, and Toph at the campsite. Tenzin was heading into The blind earthbender was grinding rocks to dust with her bare fists, so she didn't seem to be receptive to her questions, so Zuko it was.

"Zuko!" she called out. Resting on his back and staring at the sky, the Fire Prince registered her voice almost immediately. He jerked up his upper body into a sitting position. "Yes Katara?"

"Do you know where Sokka is?" Katara asked, slightly perturbed. The one time she needed to speak to her brother he disappeared – while when he was annoying he seemed to always be around. "I've looked all over the place."

Furrowing his brows, Zuko glanced around. "How should I know?"

"Snoozles left with Princess Pouty an hour ago," Toph answered while still smashing rocks. "Yeah, I 'see' everything." The air quotes were quite audible.

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Colonel Marius Mongke, commander – Rough Rhino Independent Raiding Force – snorted in disgust. Feathered plume swaying in the light breeze, he couldn't believe the High Admiral was saddling him with two earthbenders. They may have been equal by law, but he knew the sons of fire were the true masters.

Nevertheless, military discipline predominated. "What is the plan sir?" he asked of the raven haired officer mounting a spare komodo rhino.

Rubbing the beast's neck to ease its discomfort, Xin Fu met the arrogant firebender's stare. Simple, find the girl and the royal siblings."

"By any means?" asked the second in command, a thick bearded colonial with a halberd clutched in his hands.

"By any means," Xin Fu repeated. Zhao had given him full summary powers for this mission. If any civilian got in his way… "Including lethal force. But not on the girl! Understood?" The five elite raiders nodded.

A panicked cry drew they're attention. "Ah, ah!" Master Yu wailed, the rhino bucking and snorting underneath him. "Stop this crazy thing," he cried out in his educated whine. A high pitched whistle from Colonel Marius calmed the rhino.

Yu slammed his palm into his forehead. 'Not a good start.' Whatever. "Yah!" he cracked the reins, the seven of them thundering into the woods.

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Whacking yet another cluster of vines with his boomerang, Sokka rubbed the soreness in his biceps from the constant exertion. "Why must we hack through to the middle of nowhere for sword practice, princess?" He wiped a deluge of sweat from his brow, collapsing onto a boulder embedded in the ground. "Couldn't the campsite have done just as well?"

Looking no worse for wear than usual – not a strand of raven hair out of place – Azula chuckled in the superior laugh that was her signature. "Too many distractions at camp. Up here your mind is clear and your desperation prominent. It makes for a tougher fighter."

Sokka grumbled, grudgingly accepting her logic. "Couldn't you have at least helped with the brush clearing?"

She laughed once more. "You're hilarious." With lightning reflexes she spun and tossed him his sword, Sokka catching it with an outstretched hand.

At her quizzical look he smirked. "Who says I haven't been practicing behind your back Princess."

Frowning, Azula didn't like the cocky way the primitive water peasant called her that. 'Who does he think he is?' The oddest part was that she didn't mind as much as she should. 'Whatever.' It was probably just the master-apprentice bond Uncle talked about all the time. Unsheathing her own blade, she raised it in the attack position. "Ready Peasant?"

A grin stretched across Sokka's face, raising his own blade to tink with Azula's. "Of course Princess."

Seven long minutes later, sword clattering to the ground thanks to a flexible sideways kick, the pointed tip found itself pointed right at an exposed neck. "Surrender?" the victor gloated.

The dark glower on Azula's face could have melted bronze – literally. Laughing, Sokka lowered his blade. "Well Princess, I'm waiting." Nothing. "You owe me a victory gloat Azula…" Momo chirped, as if agreeing with him.

Bringing a finger to her lips to shush Sokka, Azula craned her neck toward the faint sound when a low rumble shook the ground below them. Pebbles leapt and jostled off the dirt road. Her eyes widened. "Get down!" Without warning she grabbed him by the scruff of his blue tunic and pulled Sokka into the thick undergrowth surrounding the forest track.

Just in the nick of time. No sooner did the branches cease their rustling four Mark III battlecars roared past them, nearly a dozen motorized troop carriers not far behind. The lemur cowered in fear, knowing this was pure terror. They were just the van of a massive convoy of powered and animal drawn vehicles of the Imperial Army, darkened metal the closest thing to a ghostly demon of nightmares past.

"What the hell?" Sokka whispered – mostly to himself – once the last vehicle passed over the hilltop. "What could the Emperor's fuckers be doing in this backwards shithole?" A force this strong never appeared outside the main population regions.

Azula was thinking the same thing, face twisted in puzzlement. "Dora would never launch a patrol or foray this disorganized, so it has to be Zhao. What could Zhao want in here?"

Eyes widened in realization, both shouting the answer simultaneously. "Katara!"

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Superheated air shimmered as the sunlight passed through it, the periodic sizzle of a fireball piercing through. "Harder!" Zuko hollered. "More ferocious!"

Katara snarled, fist blasting out a tongue of flame. The orange-red flickers were powerful, but not controlled.

"Control your breathing." Zuko stepped backwards, avoiding a small blast blossoming out from Katara. "Even breaths! Even!"

'I'M TRYING!' Katara screamed in her head, dropping her hands. This was so infuriating.

"Stop thinking like a waterbender." Noticing her frustration mixed with not a little anguish, Zuko lowered his voice to something that resembled compassion – not something he afforded to most. "You have to stop with launching flexible, push and pull attacks. Firebending is about the offensive, the frontal assault."

Aang's words forefront in her mind, Katara nodded, hanging her head in shame. Even if all Avatars did go through this with their alternate element, she didn't have the time nor the margin of error those Avatars didn't have.

Zuko felt a wave of empathy course through him, something he hadn't felt for years. He had a longing to draw her into his arms and comfort her – something about this girl was just so…

A faint – but increasing exponentially – screaming noise caused his head to jerk up. "GET DOWN!"

At that moment the entire campsite fountained into the air as the shells slammed into the ground.

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"FIRE!"

Even through the gauze protectors shielding his eardrums, Chan felt his insides ring violently as the twelve massive guns belched their devastating payloads at the hills. Each roared in quick succession after he gave the order. Soon black smoke wreathed the small hilltop, obstructing their vision.

He would have none of this. "Keep the fire up!" he snarled at the men. His plan was unfolding perfectly, splitting the Avatar's group so he could wipe each out in turn. The artillery would continue to bracket their last known position, ensure there were only two avenues of escape. Directly into the seven hundred under his command. Better to overwhelm the enemy than lack the necessary manpower.

Flashes of light flickered from the observation balloon hundreds of feet above them. "Shift course, right, thirty cubits! North, ten cubits. Elevation, six degrees!" Barked the battery commander.

"FIRE!"

**A/N: Oh man! Things are about to get real! **

**Once again, sorry for the really short update. It was just the best place to end it and the next chapter will be much meatier, I promise.**

**So, Zhao's men are trying to split up our Katgang. Any guesses as to who the groups will be?**

**Now they are being hunted down by the might of the Empire. Zhao can be very determined, and what of the bounty hunters?**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	15. Chapter 11: Behind Enemy Lines

**A/N: Greetings all. And we have another chapter for all of you. Some exciting stuff after last chapter's cliffy, and I hope you like.**

**We get to see a few spoilers for later, plus we get to see the true depravity of Ozai's Empire.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Enjoy and review :)**

Chapter 11: Behind Enemy Lines

Feet clicking together almost automatically at the rumble of clawed hooves, the soldiers' instincts were right on the mark as the komodo rhino trotted into the campsite, a small dust cloud kicked up by it and the four ostrich-lizard escorts flanking it. Crinkling his nose at the smell of red powder and burnt wood hanging in the air, Chan narrowed his eyes from his perch on the massive beast. "Have you found any bodies Lieutenant?" he asked the closest officer he could find.

"No sir," replied the officer – blue eyes, skin, and short-barreled carbine marking him as a Latin-Semite non-bender. "We've found three sets of tracks, one leading toward the northeast hills while the other two head deeper into the forest lowlands to the southwest."

'Two groups,' Chan thought. While easier to take out he'd have to split his forces – not good. "Have you a location on the Waterbender?" She was the critical one to find. The others could be eaten by an Unagi for all he cared.

"There were no identifying markers sir."

"Shit." Scowling, Chan resigned himself. Eyes drifting to the landscape around him, a stirring of déjà vu passed over him. This place – it was familiar. But why? He could have sworn he had been here before, quite recently as a matter of fact. However, the chaos of the last few days had drawn a blank within his mind.

It didn't matter in the scheme of things though. "Very well. Divide your forced and move out after them!"

"Yes sir." Orders barked at them, benders cracked their knuckles and _pilati _hitched their firearms. The hunt was on.

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"I can't believe you lost them!" Sokka was close to a nervous breakdown. Having come upon a blasted campsite reeking of red powder – only to be quickly earthbended into the ramble where Toph and Tenzin were hiding.

"It all happened so fast," Tenzin replied halfheartedly, hating himself for being separated from Zuko and Katara and having allowed Appa to fly panicked away. "One second we were lying about and the next all was a fiery hell."

Nothing could pacify the warrior. "You still abandoned them!"

"Yeah Snoozles, me and Twinkletoes gave them to the Empire," Toph spat sarcastically. "The falling artillery shells had nothing to do with it."

"And you!" The blazing fear in Sokka's heart manifested as white-hot rage – and was now directed at Azula. "If you hadn't taken me out of there then I would have protected my sister!" His father had given him one task: protect Katara. What a failure he turned out to be.

Slamming her palm into her face, Toph wanted to scream at the insane back and forth between her new companions. Sokka and Azula had been at each other's throats since Tenzin and she had found them. He blamed her for not being with Katara and she was too damn proud and defensive to not belittle and bait him into further anger.

"This is hard to watch," Tenzin noted, trying his best to shrink into a corner beside her, Momo joining him. The Air Nomad was the gentlest person Toph knew. She'd have thought less of him for it, but he was like steel when it counted – everyone who survived in the Empire had to be.

"You're hilarious," Azula laughed, her cackles biting with the force of a tigerdillo. "If you hadn't been so incompetent with your running we would have made it in time."

"You're seriously blaming me Fire Fucker!" Sokka hissed back, eyes blazing a furious red.

A dark, malevolent smirk crossed Azula's lips. "Most definitely. You obviously can't bother to care for your sister enough." At this point something else was taking over her, making her want to simply hurt him as badly as possible – a part of her was actually quite frightened, while the angry side couldn't seem to care.

Eye twitching, red clouding his vision, Sokka retorted with the most cutting response he could. "At least I try, unlike you with your brother!"

Hitting her with the force of a Mk III shell, Azula's arms rose – steam rising from them – before each of them suddenly found themselves buried to their necks in the earth.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Toph, the pugnacious earthbender at the end of her tether. "I'm sick of watching you idiots go at each other like wolf-bats in heat! Yes, Sugar Queen and Sparky should be with us, but we have bigger problems right now, like the dozens of heavily armed soldiers heading our way!" As if punctuating her tirade, the cracking twump of field-clearing explosives shattered the din. "Now can I let you out without this crap to start again?"

Squirming in the ground, Sokka actually found himself cooling off. "Fine," he grumbled, just wanting to get out of there.

"Princess Pouty?"

Azula simply shifted her gaze, silent.

"I'll take that as a yes." She quickly bended them up. "Now let's get moving."

The clatter of vehicles in the distance, the other three couldn't be told twice.

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Rumbling echoed through the rocky highlands overlooking the valley. A line of troops a hundred strong were marching ever upward, the snorting belches of battlecars masking the usual cacophony of the forest. Based on the intensity, they weren't far behind.

Yet another branch nicked a tiny rip into Katara's tunic. Her clothes were covered with them, both from the brambles and from artillery shrapnel. "Don't stop Katara," said the insistent voice by her side. His heavy footfalls contrasted greatly with her light ones.

Zuko, all his firebending training forefront to keep his breathing under control, was damned if the Empire would capture Katara under his watch. The Avatar was too precious to fall into his father's clutches. Would Ozai have been chagrined to learn his son was helping the enemy? 'He'd probably expect it,' he thought bitterly, allowing himself a quick moment of reflection before switching back to survival mode.

On the run consistently since being separated from Toph and Tenzin, the two ambled onto a muggy field. Sallow grey clouds blanketed the sky, their visible dampness seeping into the air shrouding the ground. Persistent shouts close behind them, Zuko and Katara sprinted forward, strides covering cubits of grass.

Neither saw the pit until it was too late.

Benders having their fists raised, _pila_ toted readily, the line of soldiers advanced on the looming pit only to be hit by the invisible wave. The line staggered, stench overpowering in its putrid malevolence. Hands shot to pinch noses, scarves draped over nostrils protectively. What emanated from the pit burned vulnerable sinus cavities like nothing else.

"What is the meaning of this?" screamed Chan, his komodo rhino stomping in the moist grass. "Keep mov…" The rhino lurched, grunting in discomfort as Chan sniffed the stench. "Fuck," he breathed. Urging the beast forward slightly, what he saw turned him white as a sheet.

The pit was a mess of mud, disgusting brown slop collected amongst the bilge of the earth. Interspersed in the mud were bodies – dozens of decomposing, rotting bodies. Flies buzzed in their hundreds, adding to the general blight this pit stained upon the field.

Chan knew what this was, suddenly remembering why the valley seemed so familiar. The people supported the rebellion here – the Emperor ordered all sympathizers killed, and orders from the Emperor were always carried out to the letter.

This pit was one of dozens, thousands taken care of each with a bullet to the head.

"Everyone's dead sir," said a Centurion, pointing to the green, red, and brown clad corpses, bloated in various stages of decomposition. "They must've run off another way."

Hesitating, knowing they could be hiding there but not strong enough to descend into the filth, Chan ordered up two waterbenders. "Fire ice into the pit."

"Yes sir," they complied. Arms undulating in the firm yet graceful forms of the liquid art, shards soon impaled themselves into the pit.

No movement, no blood. "You're right. Move out!"

Footsteps and clawbeats growing faint in the distance, two bodies started to move. Gasps of fetid air echoed from Zuko and Katara, faces and outfits drenched in mud as they crawled out from underneath fly infested bodies. "Come on," Zuko said, pulling on Katara's arm.

Tears slipping down her cheek at the sight, Katara thanked Tui and La for her ability to still feel compassion in this heartless, evil world.

"They're heading off to the north. We can put some distance before they find our trail again."

Looking at the raven-haired fire prince, she thanked the two spirits for him as well.

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Xin Hubei village hadn't ever been a thriving metropolis. Nestled in the middle of the valley, modest deposits of copper and zinc in the rolling hills had provided it with a decent income – supporting what had to be about five thousand people.

As Azula, Sokka, Toph, and Tenzin gazed upon the approximately three square miles of ruins, the entire population had vanished. Seemingly into thin air.

The stale smell of smoke and the gutted out remains of the buildings provided ample evidence of what truly happened. "Firebenders," hissed Sokka. Catching the errant glare from the Fire Princess, he quickly amended it. "Imperial troops."

"Town likely supported the rebellion," Azula replied, not a hind of animosity in her voice towards Sokka – which surprised her in a way. 'Probably the earthbender's warning,' she mused, the desire not to be buried in the earth winning out.

Toph smirked for a split second, glad the two had sense to heed her threats. It changed into a wince. "No mercy to those that do."

"What happened to them?" Tenzin asked. From his life in the Air Temple ruins, standard Imperial practice was lost on him – for the most part.

"Summary execution," Azula said softly. The words left a bad taste on her tongue. And a stinging heat in her back. She shook it off. "Come on, we should pass through as quickly as possible."

Sokka raised an eyebrow as she began to hop over the rotting fence. "Wouldn't the soldiers have booby trapped the ruins?"

The level of foresight impressed Azula. 'He's coming a long way.' A flicker of regret crossed her eyes, wishing she hadn't tried to hurt him so deeply before. But she pushed it back, for now wasn't the time. "No doubt. But they're probably expecting us to know that and have troops manning the flanking routes. As long as we're careful then going straight through is our best bet."

"I don't know…"

"Come on Snoozles," Toph cajoled, slapping him on the back. "There's nothing alive in there that looks human."

"How'd you…"

"Duh, can see with my feet."

Shaking his head, Sokka wondered how they had stumbled on the perfect skill sets by mere chance.

A gust of wind passed through the empty streets, further capturing the desolation of the barren town. Azula in the van, the four kept to the center of the streets, darting between the wreckage of carts and machinery to maintain their camouflage.

Suddenly arriving at a long, wide street overlooking the warehouse – once flush with mined copper – Tenzin began to trot through it when the Fire Princess hissed an order to stop. Halting in place, he nearly fell but was able to backflip dexterously onto safe ground. A shimmering line caught his eye.

Tripwire.

Nearly a dozen of them strung out along the road. Sokka had been right.

Which turned out to be a blessing. "Incoming!" The warning that passed Toph's lips, her unseeing eyes widened in fear, proved her right as a single Mk I battlecar rolled onto scene, four infantry riding on top. Scouts.

"Run for it!" Sokka screamed, the four booking for the cover of the forest.

Shooting a signal flare for an artillery strike, one of the scouts leapt off the battlecar and leveled his _pilum_ at the fleeing youths. Too concentrated at aiming, he ambled clumsily into the first line.

They felt the heat before the sonic boom, nearly shattering their eardrums with its force. Tons of blasting jelly artfully concealed in the abandoned warehouse went up at once, the fireball incinerating everything in a fifty cubit radius – including the scouting party.

Feeling the heat on her back, Azula found her eyes flashing to that terrible day, the crowd cheering as her father burned her. Nearly tripping, the princess would have likely broke her nose had a strong hand not grabbed her tunic.

"I've got you," Sokka said, pulling her up and back into flight. She said nothing, merely smiling slightly.

The flash of heat slowly but surely dissipating from their backs, Sokka, Toph, and Tenzin made to take a breather – only for Azula to push them forward. "Did you see the flare?! Even without the damned explosions they'll be sending in artillery!"

Momo screeched, his sensitive ears picking up sounds the four of them could barely register.

"Princess Pouty is right," Toph added, her feet firmly planted on the ground. "Five guns, all firing."

None of them needed to be told twice. Scrambling past burning or gutted out buildings with Sokka in front, the water tribe warrior barreled through a merchant. The man was sent sprawling to the ground, several cubits from his cart.

"Sorry," called out Tenzin, sparing a millisecond to smile sheepishly before Toph nearly wrenched his arm out pulling him back to the exodus.

Wiping the dust off his _zhiduo_, the merchant opened his mouth to hurl obscenities at the kids when the whistling roar grew louder and louder. Non-discriminating between enemy and noncombatant, the shell slammed into the cart, wood and vegetable incinerating in the blast. His face twitched, taking several seconds to comprehend what had happened.

"MY CABBAGES!"

**A/N: Tell me, who didn't expect the Cabbage Merchant to show up eventually? I can't not put him in, and we'll see more of him, trust me.**

**About the pit, gruesome I know. Like all tyrannical regimes, since Ozai practically has supreme control of the entire earth, I don't think he'd be adverse to killing off whole swaths of people to maintain obedience from the rest. The Fire Nation proper and Ba Sing Se are secure for his rule, and so are the smaller cities like Omashu, both water tribes, and Gaoling. Rural regions that were the last to really submit would be dealt with very harshly – like Jet's hometown.**

**Anyway, we'll see much more Zutara interaction in the next chapter ;)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	16. Chapter 12: The Avatar and the Fire Prin

**A/N: Hi all. **

**I've had some requests to go deeper into the feelings of the characters. Sorry about not doing that. I wanted to convey the plot a bit as they set up as the Katgang. Each character will be developed quite a bit, trust me.**

**This update, we get deep into Zuko and Katara. I hope you like it – especially considering the length of the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Bryke own it. I'm just taking it out for a non-profit spin :)**

**Enjoy and Review.**

Chapter 12: The Avatar and the Fire Prince

A light rain had broken out over the forested highlands, combining with the ever-present thrum of distant vehicles to add to the dreariness. Shivering uncontrollably, even with spending her whole life at the South Pole had Katara ever felt such biting cold.

Brambles lightly cracking and leaves crinkling, Zuko slid back into their small alcove behind a thick undergrowth of bushes and vines. "They seem to be searching about a mile east of here." He rubbed up and down his arms with an irritated expression. Any cold bothered firebenders for the most part. A deep breath stoked his inner fire, clouds of steam released from his warmed body as he exhaled. "We should rest a few minutes before… Katara?"

Wrapping her arms around her chest protectively, Katara's sullen blue eyes stared at the rivulets of mud pooling on the ground from her battered tunic. 'Not enough, not enough.' Her shivering increased in intensity, the biting iciness and deep filth permeating her despite the moderate physical condition.

The smell, it remained. It clung to her nostrils, spreading the disgust to the rest of her skin. The bodies, shrouding her – rotting fetidly.

Dozens of lifeless corpses that used to be human beings, happy and healthy as they lived.

'I'm the Avatar.' Katara knew she was their protector, the keeper of the balance. And yet she failed them. 'I failed them.' That hurt and stabbed at her worse than the deepest knife, than the harshest wind. She wanted to die.

Suddenly, a warm cloud enveloped her, banishing the chill. "It's, uh, it's alright Katara."

Zuko had no idea why he had so quickly rushed to her, but this scene was only too familiar. In his life as the Fire Prince he had seen it many times, in his mother, in Kya, in Azula… in himself. The feeling of disgust, of self-loathing. For years he had often stared at his scar in the mirror, the mark of his failure, of how little he was wanted. He hated himself for it. Hated himself because he was unworthy of his father's love. It coursed through him, the poison burning his veins in an unstoppable agony.

After seeing the world, visualizing exactly what his father's empire was outside the prison that was the Imperial Palace in Crater City, Zuko knew how corrupted they all were. Himself, Azula, they were all cogs and pawns in the evil system.

Katara on the other hand… she was pure, a gentle spirit. Despite the hardened facade, deep down he could sense her inner goodness. It killed him to see such a good soul tainted by the pure malevolence his father had unleased on the world.

She was special, and not just because of the Avatar. Her untouched spirit actually eased the anguished tempest of his soul. Something nothing or no one else could.

Wracked with grief, shame, and fear, Katara didn't care that they were being followed. All she wanted was more of the feeling, of the warmth. Unknowingly she burrowed further into Zuko. His warmth, his smoky scent… all were as wonderful as a crackling fire in the middle of an Antarctic storm.

A loud scuffle broke both out of their embrace. Golden eyes – hardened and dangerous – quickly flicked up at the same time as blue eyes – weary but no less dangerous – did. Not five cubits away, staring at them, was a young girl. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled back into a bun, Earth Kingdom green staring at them.

Palms warming, Zuko prepared to ignite a warning flame when Katara's soft palm – the coolness contrasting greatly with his heated skin – stopped his movements. She wasn't an enemy.

The message was conveyed, no words needed.

"Head east," the girl said simply. "Their battlecars won't get through the rocky ground."

"Thank you," Zuko replied in his sharp tone, grabbing Katara's hand and pulling her forward.

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Laid out in standard Imperial Army doctrine, the field pieces in the battery barked in quick succession, shells hurling toward the hills and ruins to the north. Large guard towers were arranged in a Star of David, six matching the earthworks strung out in the interlocking fields of fire.

Inside the camp, held down by massive chains, was Appa. "Son's of bitches," growled Tenzin, fists clenching. His bison bellowed in pain as a gruff soldier whipped him. He wanted to kill them all.

"Easy Twinkletoes," Toph whispered, hanging back from the overhang the four of them were using as a perch. Yet another anguished bellow echoed from Appa's giant throat, and while visibly wincing she forced herself to ignore it. If the Earth Rumbles had taught her anything it was rash action always lead you to fuckups. "Get two cubits toward them and you'll be one dead air monk."

"We might have better odds than that," Sokka observed. "The positions are sloppily erected."

Azula nodded, once again pleasantly surprised with his tactical eye. "The earthwork isn't as formidable as it could be, and the sentries are sparse. We could easily sneak through." Wires clicked in her brain. "Toph, think you can take out the artillery?"

A wide grin stretched out on the blind earthbender's face. "In my sleep Princess Pouty."

"Alright." She began to illustrate her plan.

"What about the guard towers?" Sokka knew the firebenders in them could roast him and the others alive.

Smirking darkly, Azula rubbed her fingers together. "Just leave them to me." The small clearing suddenly sparkled with static electricity.

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Fire burned in her legs. Years of training had made Katara tough, building her lithe figure into pure muscle and endurance – but even the most powerful bodies met their limits.

So when Zuko forced them to rest she didn't complain. The real reason though sent her heart into further palpitations.

The entire Imperial column – over six dozen troops and a dozen vehicles at least – had come to a halt in the highland meadow below, a truly awesome sight.

"Keep your head down," Zuko hissed, a hand on her upper back forcing her form near snakelike in the rocky slope. Katara flattened out as best she could. The warmth of his hand sent a shiver through her, the tingling at their proximity only just eclipsed by the pounding fear in her heart.

Blue eyes focusing back on the valley below, they widened in horror. There, escorted by the soldiers, was the woman from earlier. The one that helped them. Katara knew firsthand what Imperial forces did to civilians. "We have to help," she whispered, heartstrings pulled by the utter terror on the woman's face.

Zuko's head shook violently, but before Katara could hiss indignantly at him he spoke. "It's too dangerous Katara, and you are far too valuable to the world – to me." The last was so low, soft enough that Zuko must've figured he only thought the words – but Katara heard them just the same. Biting her lip, the words tugging at her heart, she nodded.

In the valley an officer strode forward, talking to the girl. He seemed to smile, reaching to the ground and helping her up from where the others had thrown her violently.

Suddenly, a stream of fire shot out from his fist. The bright red-orange flurry shrouded the woman. Screams pierced the still highland air as she was immolated alive.

"NO!" cried Katara, covering her mouth in a split second.

It still had been said, the word resonating through the hills.

Eyes wide, Zuko pulled her up and wrenched her up the crags.

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"No!"

It was faint, the feminine cry far off.

Chan noticed it in spite of those facts. 'Bingo.'

A whistle escaped his lips, drawing the attention of every soldier in the vicinity. "There they are!" he screamed. "In the hills, the hills!" He quickly formed a stance, concentrated blasts of fire erupting from his fists to slam into the hillside.

"Fire! Fire!" shouted officers, the sharp cracks of _pila_ joining earth and firebenders. Mk III battlecars boomed in quick succession, hurling shells that kicked up huge clouds of dust and flame.

'I have them now!'

"After them! Capture the girl! Kill the boy!" He could taste the Lordship the Emperor would bestow on him for capturing the Avatar. "Forward!"

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It was said by many firebenders that lightning was "cold fire." Requiring a total lack of emotion in most cases, some masters instead used a sort of deathly calm. Princess Azula was of the latter camp. From what Uncle had told her and Zuko, the great Lord Sozin had himself developed that form. Emotions were focused instead of abandoned. A deadly patience substituted for an empty heart.

And the electrical power deployed far more energy that way. Azula had been a natural – as with everything. Zuko had struggled, only mastering the move after their banishment. The fact their father treated them both the same despite this only proved his depravity. Sometimes Azula would shudder, knowing that if the Divine Emperor had shown her even the littlest affection or praise she would have fallen under his clutches. She would have never known his true malevolence.

But the Princess pushed it aside. A deep breath passed her lips. 'Calm, calm yourself. Focus.' Uncle's words were seared in her mind.

Wordlessly, fingers spun fluidly in the air. The crackles following brought the surge of power at her fingertips.

The first pair of sentries in the guard tower barely caught the slight flicker of white-blue light before the bolt incinerated them.

Echoing across the landscape like a thunderclap, at the sound of the explosion Toph surged forward in the classic bullheaded earthbender style. Frontal assault. Soldiers were thrown in the air as twenty cubits of earthworks practically vanished, a three ton artillery piece vaulting through the air as if a child's toy. Buglers blaring short notes of panic, the ground frenzy joined with the sparks from the guard towers destroyed in quick succession allowed Sokka and Tenzin to slip in unnoticed.

Without warning the Water Tribe warrior ran a soldier through with his rapier, boomerang quickly decapitating a second before his _pilum _could be primed to fire. Grey eyes blazing with rage, Tenzin discharged his pistol at the same soldier who had abused Appa, whip tumbling from his hand as a dark red blot appeared in his chest.

Momo's screech pierced the din. Tiny fingers pointed to the left. Appa.

They wasted no time.

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"ZUKO!" The time since fleeing from the initial onslaught after the execution – an hour, ten minutes, Katara had no clue – had passed by in a pervasive blur. Rainclouds having cleared up, the harsh late afternoon sun beat down on the rocky hilltops. For the majority fire/earthbender and line infantry making up the Imperial forces, this was of no consequence. For Katara… the rapidly drying landscape was certain peril for the waterbender.

And try as she could she could not firebend.

Such thoughts were congesting the recesses of her panicked mind when the flash of red obscured her vision. One moment the Fire Prince had been firing back at the enemy, furious tongues of flame forcing the scrambling Imperial forces back. The next, he had crumpled to the ground. Red liquid seeped around his hand, clutched tightly to his side. 'No, no, no!"

Troops nearly on him, the Avatar snapped. White hot rage piled inside her. In her short life Katara had seen unbelievable horrors, witnessed countless deaths that even as the Avatar she had been unable to stop. Her mother, Suki, so many of her loved ones… Under no circumstances would Zuko join them.

A burning emanated from deep inside her, Katara unable to see in her intense, aggressive focus the steam rising from her arms. The soldier, having raised his pistol to place a bullet in the prone Fire Prince's skull, managed to see it – much too late.

Red-orange jets lanced from Katara's fists, enveloping the battered ground in an inferno to rival the greatest firebending masters. Those Imperial soldiers not immolated alive fled in pure terror, the girl in front of them transformed into a monster – the blue-white glow in her eyes adding to the shock and awe she visited upon Chan's forces.

Somehow she managed to control the furious aura that had taken over her. A short quiet descending over the hills – the Imperials wouldn't be held off for long, Katara noticed despite her post-fury haze the shadow descending over the landscape. "Appa!"

"Zuko come on!" she screamed, tugging on his shoulders. Try as she might he wouldn't budge. "They're almost here. We can escape!"

"Leave. Me," Zuko rasped weakly. "Go. Live." He couldn't be responsible for the Avatar's death. For Katara's death. Even in his weak state he wouldn't let her die.

The sounds of firing picking up once more, all exhortations died on her tongue. Unable to figure out what to say, her muscles acted on pure instinct. Katara kissed him.

Almost as if a miracle, it did the trick.

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"GET ON!" screamed Tenzin, his hand reaching out to clasp a nearly passed out Zuko's. Katara and Azula each shooting a jet of flame at the Imperial skirmish line, Toph took advantage and earthbended a wall of rock.

Five seconds were all it bought them, but five were enough. Each of the three girls, sweat pouring from their brows, leapt onto Appa. The beast groaned as he lifted into the air. Shells from the battlecars destroyed the hastily erected earthwork, displaying for all to see the failure of their mission.

"FUUUUUCK!" Chan's fist slammed down on the metal armor of the Mk III. Several fingers fractured with the force – in his anger he couldn't feel a thing.

"Eeechhhhh!" The statement of the hour went to little Momo. Watching the Imperial forces dwindle like ants below, bared teeth punctuated his almost mocking screech.

**A/N: Good for Momo.**

**So Katara kissed Zuko. I know ya'll have been waiting for that. Since she really hadn't had the time to think about it, and Zuko is conveniently passed out or near passing out, the aftermath will soon be upon us in the next chapter. A little sideshow of feelings before the fun resumes again ;)**

**With the battles, for the most part – unless there is some major characterization to be had – I'll be going the less is more method. I think it helps capture the fast pace nature of the combat situations. Same with the kiss. Katara acted on instinct, and the full scope of her decision won't be seen until much later. We'll see a lot more coming up, I promise.**

**Up next, the aftermath of the kiss, a checkup on poor Ty Lee, and a hint as to our heroes' next threat.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	17. Chapter 13: I'm Fallin'

**A/N: Hi all. Sorry for the delay but I wanted to make this just right.**

**Here comes the big chapter, a little boring but we all need boring after the previous ones, lol.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA, it's pretty obvious isn't it?**

**Enjoy and review.**

Chapter 13: I'm Fallin'

The gauzy fabric shrouding the room muted the low torchlight streaming from the wall lamps, creating a muted illumination. Such suited His Divine Majesty perfectly. None entering could so much as catch a glimpse of him greater than a simple blur or shadow. For a god on earth, this was the desired effect.

Back bowed from a lifetime of penitence to his master, a boy servant presented the world's sovereign with a small bowl of fruit – imported from the farms of outer Ba Sing Se. His unseeing eyes gazed murkily as the Emperor took what he wanted from the dish.

If one was to be a god, one must act like one. None could even cast their eyes upon their sovereign. None but the unseeing, the blind.

His afternoon snack was cut short by his Major Domo, announcing himself by prostrating to the floor and covering his eyes. "Sire, he is here."

Now this was news. Normally the Emperor hated seeing the obsequious nobleman – one found it hard to find loyal subordinates that were also competent. 'Then again…' He did enjoy simpering pansies fawning over him.

This wasn't the time to think about this. A very important matter needed to be attended to. "Very well," he said as he rose, the bowl and a pitcher of water clattering to the floor. Two blind child servants scrambled to clean it up. "Bring him to the Throne Room."

The thick steel of the chains chafing his wrists, Iroh kept his face impassive as a wall of flame erupted nearly four cubits into the air. A deep breath left his lips. "Greetings brother."

A low chuckle emanated from the dais, a black shadow sitting at the throne. "Ah Iroh, I heard you had established a little inn and tea shop. How ironic, since tea and failure were always your strong suits."

Iroh let the insult roll off him as water off the back of a turtle-duck. "It was fairly successful. Empress Ursa would have enjoyed it." It was no secret for those in the palace that the Empress kept her home at Ember Island – despite the public's general ignorance of that fact. Iroh knew intimately, the Imperial Court was a pit of rat-vipers. She was lucky. "What exactly do you want from me Ozai?"

The flames flickered, the Emperor clearly annoyed by the use of his given name. He hated all reminders of his father. "Nothing brother, only to inform you that you will be housed in a villa along the coast." His voice dropped into a sneer. "Nothing but the best for a member of the royal family."

"I thank you for the hospitality," Iroh replied, knowing Ozai's duplicity.

"And I will be sure to inform you when Zhao catches my disgraces for progeny. Consorting with known criminals. Their punishments will make banishment look puny."

Iroh allowed himself a split-second of a smirk. 'If only you knew brother. If only you know.'

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"Easy boy, easy." Tenzin gripped the reins hard, willing Appa to descend in a slow and steady manner. The bison groaned, hitting the ground with the barest thud. "Good boy." The monk patted his massive, furry head lovingly.

Normally Toph would leap off, jumping for joy at being reunited with solid ground – this time however she was subdued. All were.

Except for Katara, hovering over the prone Zuko like a healer desperate to save a patient – which in fact she was. "Come on Zuko! You are not leaving us!" The water sheathing her hands glowed a bright blue. "Come on!"

"Katara," Sokka said, placing a hand on her shoulder which was promptly shaken off. "There's nothing more you can do."

She nearly growled, not wavering in her steadfast healing. "He's lost so much blood."

A softer yet more insistent hand couldn't be shaken off. "You've healed the wound and most of the internal injuries, but even the strongest healers can't replace blood." Azula tugged her back, Katara dejectedly acquiescing, water spilling on the saddle from her hands. "You did well, but now it's time for Zuzu to rest." For once that nickname wasn't said sarcastically.

Sighing, Katara felt the exhaustion of the battle overtake her muscles. Tired and dejected, she nodded and slipped over Appa's side. Her feet hit the ground with a soft thud.

Suddenly a memory hit her, one that forced a gasp from her lips. To which she quickly covered them.

'I kissed Zuko.' It wasn't a dream, or a fantasy. She had actually kissed the Crown Prince of the Eternal Phoenix Empire. Son of His Divine Majesty, Defender of the Race, Scion of the Eternal Flame, Phoenix Emperor Ozai. A torrent of different emotions and physical reactions hit her at once.

Katara was shocked. Katara was petrified. A sense of revulsion passed over her, dueling with a strange and pleasurable warmth rising from her heart. The conflicting reactions all formed one collective jumble, an incessant scream echoing within her skull. Worried that she might lose it in the middle of her friends and family, Katara needed to be alone.

Feet propelled her to the forest, not looking back.

"Katara!" cried Sokka, preparing to go after her when a grip on his arm stopped him.

"You won't help," said Azula, her face grim. She didn't know what was bothering the Avatar – the princess had her thoughts, but wasn't sure – but knew the look of doubting oneself. Conflict swirling within. "She needs to be alone right now."

Worry etching his face, Sokka nodded numbly.

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A soft wind rustled the leaves, passing through the early evening darkness like the slightest of breaths. The air felt cooling on Katara's skin, but the emotions swirling within her made her numb to the outside world.

The elders on Kyoshi had taught her to meditate when presented with an emotional torment. Legs tucked under her, Katara's eyes were closed and her breathing was even.

All the panic from earlier had left, but she was still conflicted. It all revolved around a single person. The man from her dreams – the one with the golden eyes.

"Zuko."

Kissing him had been desperate. Looking back on the events she had only wanted him to live. However, regarding the motivation behind it…

Zuko was a good man, a strong one. Katara considered him a friend… well did consider him a friend. A throbbing consumed her head just delving into those feelings. Did she care about him – yes, but as what? Was he merely a friend to her, a firebending instructor or was he more?

The dream came to mind again, the shrouded face with the golden eyes and massive scar. At the time she had figured it was guiding her to a firebending master as the vision had guided her to Toph. But Toph's vision had only been once. Zuko's had been there for months. Were the spirits telling her something else?

Katara had no idea, but the welling of warmth at just the thought of him spoke for itself.

Therein lied the problem. Everything had happened so fast. In the Southern Water Tribe courtships lasted nearly two years, the prospective couple preparing for marriage in an exhaustive fashion in order to allow for only the strongest bonds between couples. She and Zuko had only known for weeks.

But who was she to deny her heart?

But did he feel the same way?

"Man, you really are in bad shape."

At the taunting sarcasm, Katara's head jerked up.

Toph plopped down next to her, unseeing eyes staring forward at the top of the shallow ridge face. "If that's what you call meditation then count me out."

"I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm Toph," Katara replied bitterly, not even giving the earthbender the satisfaction of looking at her.

"Just lightening the mood Sugar Queen." A sigh escaped Toph's lips. "I don't know what's exactly bothering you, but I can tell it's something big by the feel of your heart. And it probably involves Sparky."

She bristled, but only for a moment. "How do you figure it's Prince Zuko?"

"Oh cut the crap. It's obvious." She slapped the Avatar on the back. "I'm not getting into any mushy talk, or, Creator forbid." Toph scrunched her nose in disgust. "The birds and the fly-bees. But let me say this, in this hell we're in… do you really think denying happiness is a good thing? We're likely to be at death's door soon anyway." The blind earthbender stood and left, leaving a bewildered Katara in her wake.

'Could she be right?'

'Does Zuko make me happy?'

The answers soon came to her.

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Crumpling the parchment in his hands, Xin Fu let out a dark chuckle. Schadenfreude burned in his eyes. "That incompetent fool, letting her slip through his fingertips."

"What happened sir?" asked the commander of the Rough Rhinos, nervously shifting on his mount.

"Chan. He cornered our target in the hills west of Gaoling but failed to trap her."

"But he had two cohorts of men and firepower," interjected Yu, having – finally – gotten the hang of riding a komodo-rhino.

Xin Fu laughed again. "Exactly my dear Yu. The prick is that much a fucking moron." A grunt followed with a barking whistle. "Mount up. We have a lot of ground to cover."

A cloud of dust kicked itself into the air as the seven rhinos scurried into the forest.

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Dropping to the leaf covered dirt off the side of the forest road, Jun patted her shirzu with a comforting hand. "Calm sweetie, calm." The beast purred, settling itself in the shade. Only for Jun would it ever lose its notorious temper – the only way the bounty hunter would want it.

The inn's door was locked, a quick tug on the latch quickly proved her suspicions. A sharp kick in the right place sent it crashing to the thin carpet lining the floor inside. Raven haired with flawless skin, owning a uniquely feminine look uncommon among those in her profession, many underestimated Jun. Those that did almost always ended up regretting it.

Clearly deserted, Jun knew that the Prince, Princess, and their compatriots wouldn't be stupid enough to remain here. And no, she didn't give a sideways glance to rummage for any clues of their whereabouts. The bounty hunter was looking for one kind of item in particular – and nothing more.

Five minutes later she emerged, a cocky demeanor taking over her lithe but strong frame. "Baby, come here."

Snorting, the beast obeyed. Sticking its snout out, she produced her discovery. A clearly worn shirt. Female to be exact. Whether it was the Princess' or the bandit's Jun didn't care. Either would do.

Lowering its snout to take a sniff, the shirzu waved its head in the air, gauging the scent trail only the acute olfactory receptors within its nasal cavity could detect. Snapping jaws together in a wet slap, Jun grinned.

She'd found them.

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Toph's words still echoing in her mind, Katara once again moved her fingers to the muted brown tent flap – only to draw it away for the fifth time. 'Some Avatar you are,' she berated herself. Able to face the Eternal Phoenix Empire in pitched battle but unable to enter a tent to see her…

It dawned on Katara that she didn't know what to call Zuko. Not after the kiss they shared or the feelings that she possessed. She hadn't ever done this before. Guys had been interested in her, sure. The last had been Jet – Katara bluntly refusing his advances though being charmed initially. Chewing her lip, the Avatar found herself with no clue how to proceed.

Luckily – the spirits were looking out for her most likely – the tent flap pulled back to reveal Azula. "Are you just going to stand there like a bewildered rodent?" she asked in the haughty monotone she was so proficient at.

Katara prepared to shoot back an acid remark when her eyes caught faint tear stains underneath the Princess' cheek. She softened immediately, knowing her and Zuko were joined at the hip. Azula cared about him deeply. The firebender must have been hurt scared – not that she'd ever admit it. "I just want to see Zuko," Katara replied finally. "Is he awake?"

Azula sighed. "He is, but he's tired and fatigued. Be gentle with him, though after seeing you heal my brother I shouldn't expect anything else."

"No, you shouldn't. I will." Softly walking inside, her heart broke at the sight of him. The once cocky prince was sprawled on his sleeping bag. All the power contained within him seemed to have leached out, leaving a weak, frail boy in its place. Alabaster skin, normally a plus to his handsome frame, was now pale as rice paper. 'Oh Zuko.'

"Well hello there Avatar. I'm not sure I can give you a firebending lesson today." His golden eyes sparkled despite the trauma and blood loss eating at him.

Despite her earlier feelings of pain, Katara couldn't help but roll her eyes. "It's nice to see your spirit back." A smile played on the edge of her lips as she sat cross legged next to him. "I'm serious, it's good that you're doing well. I was worried."

"I can credit your remarkable healing skills for that," he rasped, voice hoarse. "Thank you Katara."

She blushed modestly. "It should be I who should thank you." A soft hand moved to push a strand of scruffy hair away from his good eye. "If it wasn't for you I'd be captured on that hilltop about now."

Zuko shook his head. "No, you're stronger and smarter than you think Katara." His mouth opened and closed several times before the prince groaned, weakly grimacing.

Katara's eyes widened. "Does it hurt?" she asked in a panicked tone.

"No, it's not that, Agni." Had he possessed any real strength Zuko would have slammed his fist on the dirt floor. "Why can't I come out and say it?"

Breath hitching, Katara had a feeling she knew what was next.

"I'm not good at… uh… sharing my feelings, but… I kinda, um, remember the kiss."

Color flooded the Avatar's face. "I know," she stammered. "I wanted to talk to you about that."

Suddenly a hand grasped hers, surprisingly strong. Zuko had no idea where his boldness came from – being raised in the Palace instilled in him and Azula quite low self-esteems. But during his unconsciousness, he couldn't quite explain it. Something showed him what was truly important. The person who had pulled him out of the abyss and brought him on the path to his honor. His redemption.

He may not deserve it and it may not work out, but the Prince was damned if he didn't try. "I didn't regret it."

Not emitting a sound, Katara's lips smiled warmly as her hand cupped his cheek. "Neither do I."

The Prince gulped, his bout of determination fading. "So what does this mean?"

"I can't be fully sure," she stated honestly. "But I'd like to find out." Once more, she leaned down to connect their lips. Weakly but filled with promise, he returned it.

**A/N: Whooo! They are officially a couple. Some fun times are coming for the Katgang. Jun is on the way, as are the Rough Rhinos. Maybe a certain encounter with a group of pirates ;)**

**Toph is kickass isn't she? Always can be counted on to be blunt with the truth.**

**Did you like what I did with Ozai? Clearly he's gone off the deep end regarding his delusions of being a god. Being an absolute ruler of everything could only exacerbate that.**

**Thanks for reading. Be sure to review :)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	18. Chapter 14: Bounty Hunter

**A/N: Greetings all. I'm sorry it's been a while, I've just been really busy.**

**We are now getting into my version of Season One, where Zhao and his cronies are chasing the Katgang and they outrun them while Katara learns the elements. Right now she's mostly fighting as a waterbender to avoid being caught, but against the persons that know who she is she won't keep up that pretense.**

**I plan to go in depth to all the characters and explore Zuko and Katara's relationship – among others – as we go along. For now just assume that they are together but taking it slow, seeing where it goes. Young love and all that.**

**I will be adapting many episodes into this universe as the story progresses, such as the Pirates, the Storm, the Blue Spirit, and Aunt Wu among others. I hope you enjoy.**

**Please Review.**

Chapter 14: Bounty Hunter

"Ok Sugar Queen, it's time you forget all the garbage Sparky and whomever taught you about waving puddles in the air." Toph slammed her foot in the ground the way a Komodo rhino bull would during a challenge, though here a cuboid cut of stone lifted into the air, arced around Toph, and slammed into the dusty courtyard on the opposite side. "Now it's time for you to learn earthbending from the Blind Bandit herself." She extended her arms modestly in the air. "No applause please."

"Does it look like anyone is clapping?" Azula asked snidely. Tenzin almost did, but was silenced by a furious glare from the Princess Imperial.

"Can it Princess Pouty." Sokka and Zuko both let out a snicker. The Prince knew he was the only person who dared talk back to Azula besides the plucky earthbender – and even he was a little more diplomatic. "Anyway, form your stance."

Katara blinked, thinking back to all the times she saw Toph earthbend and formulating what she needed to do. Once Zuko had fully healed and was ready to go – in more ways than one she thought with a blush – the group hand toughed it through the woods. Roads and any sized towns were avoided like the pentapox. Once they stumbled upon the abandoned abbey they decided it was time to relax.

One night's sleep later and all were ready to take on the Imperial Army – though none were itching too.

Doing her best imitation of Toph's stance, Katara's face fell when she saw the blind earthbender facepalm herself. "Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Marching over, without hesitating Toph began nudging and moving the Avatar about. "Stop trying to keep light on your feet. You waterbenders are worse than Twinkletoes."

"Hey!" Tenzin remarked, a red tinge to his face.

Neither girl really noticed. "Earthbending is kind of like firebending, but less passionate."

"That doesn't sound like you Toph."

The blind earthbender grinned with pride. "I'm just that good." Katara rolled her eyes. "The key isn't anger, it's stubbornness. Frontal attack. Any problem must be faced head on. Now, someone as annoyingly stubborn as you can handle this. Now, push me back."

That didn't sound good. "Huh?"

"Oh this is going to be good." Zuko thought a worried Katara looked quite alluring. It felt wonderful not to feel guilty about thinking such thoughts anymore.

A suit of rock armor formed around Toph. "Push me back," she repeated, charging at Katara.

Apparently Toph was a 'sink or swim' kind of teacher.

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To the right of the fork in the road, a group of young travelers cowered on the muddy side. Jun allowed herself a small smirk. Nyla was quite the intimidating little beast, she thought while stroking her furry back – which was uncharacteristically soft. Also, pride written across her face, Jun had to admit she was pretty intimidating herself. The pure confidence her firm stance and toned arms and legs radiated strength.

"You smell anything poopsie?" The words of affection for her 'pet' sounded odd on her tongue but she ignored it. Nyla sniffed loudly, nose twitching constantly as she swung it across the ground. "Picking something up?"

A loud snarl followed, pointing to the left fork. "What's that way?" she snapped at whichever traveler seemed like the leader. When he didn't respond a rapier found itself leveled at his chest. "Answering isn't a choice."

The leader gulped. "Um, it's an abandoned abbey. The nuns were forced to move their business to the coast years ago."

Her smile returned. "Yaaahhh!" Jun cracked the reins causing Nyla to charge to the left.

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Being alone was always deceptive – at least within the Empire. Prince Lu Ten fondly remembered when he could stroll along a country road without constantly looking over his shoulder or keeping his ears peeled for the ever-present agent of the Dai Li shadowing him. As such, those days were as long gone as his long dead grandfather Azulon. His father hadn't inherited his throne, his uncle Ozai did, and the world was then introduced to the Eternal Phoenix Empire.

He didn't think he was being followed here, but one couldn't be sure.

Gusts of wind fluttered at the simple tunic and trousers Lu Ten wore underneath his cloak instead of his uniform armor. Off to the front the waves crashed against the cliffs overlooking the Tuscan Sea. It was an old Latin-Semite myth that upon discovery the spirits of the 'Bending-peoples' all collaborated to inflict their elements on the hardy civilization. Considering the weather patterns and topography of Latinum – the northern portion of the Fire Continent – Lu Ten often felt the myth had some validity to it.

Two Imperial Guards clicking their heels at attention, Lu Ten smiled and saluted them as he walked up the steps of the cliffside villa. Cumae was a sleepy town that served as a resort for the Latin-Semite nobility. Not the bustling tourist havens that were Yafo or Ember Island, it made the perfect place to tuck a member of the Imperial family away where he wouldn't be noticed by anyone of importance.

Eyes admiring the charming frescoes depicting the Second Punic War, the Prince suddenly found himself enveloped in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh my son," Iroh cried, tears of happiness running down his cheeks and wetting his sideburns.

Bearing the pain of his father's embrace – he had been through much worse on the battlefield – Lu Ten returned it. "It's good to see you father."

"Only good? Modest like your mother. It's been three years." Slapping him on the back, Iroh looked over at the strapping man his son had become. "You have matured," he breathed with pride. The once brash and daring young man who led the charge into Ba Sing Se was still there, but a more taciturn shell had sprung up. Calculating, analytical. His son truly had become a man to take pride in as a father.

Lu Ten shrugged it off. "When you serve as Dora's chief adjutant he rubs off on you."

Iroh chortled, a massive belly laugh he was so notorious for. "That sounds like him all right. Now come, I have a special blend of tea bought locally from the highlands. I think it will knock your socks off."

And there was the moment he had been waiting for. Lu Ten made sure his father couldn't see the smirk that graced his lips.

Ten minutes later, as he sipped the cup, the young officer had to admit his father had been right about the blend. "Exquisite father. You always have the best taste for tea."

"You're just realizing this?" Iroh grinned, chuckling as he poured both of them a steaming refill. "My one regret is that neither you nor your cousins could appreciate the simple pleasures the creator-given liquid can bestow upon us." His voice remained a happy contemplation.

Lu Ten frowned sadly at the mention of his exiled cousins. "I'm sorry about Zuko and Zula…"

"Brash youngsters they are," Iroh continued, not even acknowledging his son's comments as he pulled a paper out of his robe. "Never listening to reason, always doing their own thing." He handed it to Lu Ten. "They and you remind me a lot of myself when I was that age."

Perusing the short leaf of parchment, Lu Ten's eyes widened momentarily before the mask slipped on. "They do huh? Interesting." The message received, he ignited the paper in his hand. 'So they found her? Zuko and Zula never know how not to get thrust into the middle of things do they?'

"Yes, it scares me sometimes." Father and son stared at each other for a moment before laughing.

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"Zuko," Katara complained as the Crown Prince Imperial dragged her by the hand into a clump of trees just outside the deserted abbey's walls. After two hours of earthbending training with Toph she just wanted to rest. Sweaty and sore all over, a soft sleeping bag looked sooo appealing to her.

"Just trust me," he replied, pulling her behind a tree.

"I'm just so exhauste…" Warm lips crashing with hers silenced her, Katara moaning as the Prince pushed her against a particularly thick tree. Hands weaved into his shaggy hair, urging him closer while his smoothed over her trim waist and flat stomach over her tunic. Tongues battled in a sensual dance.

Air soon being an issue, Zuko was forced to pull away. Gold locked on blue as both panted softly. "Wow," Katara breathed, sleep and fatigue forgotten. "Not that I'm complaining, but what brought that on?"

"Mmmm," Zuko moaned, the delicate hands of his girlfriend brushing across his chest underneath his shirt. "We haven't had a moment alone since in my tent. I couldn't wait any longer."

Katara giggled, the unbridled passion that was her new man mixed with an uncharacteristic sweetness. It still perplexed her sometimes, the sudden intensity of their relationship – before Zuko it took weeks for a man to even get close enough to kiss her cheek, but with him she couldn't help herself with the semi-innocent displays of affection. "I can understand such emotions." Her hand cupped the back of his head and pulled him in once again.

"Have you seen Katara anywhere?" Sokka asked the group. His arms were sore from sword practice with Azula earlier and by his self-exercises. The warrior was hoping that she had some herbal doodad or waterbending thingamabob that could ease the pain.

"Nope," Tenzin remarked, loading hay onto a pushcart to take for Appa.

"She left for a walk with Zuko," Azula replied. Momo sat perched on her shoulder, content with her body heat as she pulled water out of a well.

Sokka furrowed his brows. "Why would she do that? Firebending practice?"

"How am I supposed to know peasant?" Azula shot back. "It's not like I watch my brother like a messenger hawk."

Resting on a stone bench of her own creation, Toph offered a lazy, knowing grin. If Snoozles learned what they were really up to… 'They're definitely not talking about firebending, that's for sure.' Sometimes she just loved being able to 'see' with her bending.

"Don't call me peasant Princess Crazy!"

"Make me Water Tribe ignoramus!"

"I am not a lizard!"

Azula simply rolled her eyes at that.

Toph suppressed a laugh. 'Looks like we have couple number two in the making.' It would take much more work than Sparky and Sugar Queen though.

About to launch a blistering retort to the arrogant peasant, a low galloping through the woods caught Azula's ears. Warning bells were immediately triggered. "Something's coming!"

Before the group could accurately form battle positions the shirzu leaped over the gate, feet slamming onto the courtyard. Jun dove off midair, sword drawn and leveled at each of them. "Where's the girl?"

From within the woods, the couple broke apart their embrace, soft looks hardening with fear and anger.

"What girl?" Azula heated her palms, sharing a look with Sokka. They knew what the strange woman wanted without a doubt.

"Don't play dumb Princess," Jun replied nonchalantly, Nyla taking a position to her right. "I only want the Water Tribe bandit. Give her to me and you can go about your merry way. I can tell Zhao she was alone." To be frank, she could care less about delivering them to the sociopathic megalomaniac. Too much work.

"How about… NO!" Sending a wave of rock at the bounty hunter, Toph suddenly cried out as a long and dexterous tongue shot out and slammed her center mass. The earthbender collapsed with a grunt, unable to move.

"Toph!" Tenzin cried out, attempting to run to her but blocked by the still swinging appendage.

"It's a shirzu!" Azula cried , letting a fireball sail. "It'll paralyze you!"

Nyla expertly dodged the flame, tongue retracting at a whistle from Jun's mouth. "As I said, give me the bandit."

"Looking for me?"

The bounty hunter glanced upward to see a girl in a blue, Water Tribe tunic positioned in a fighting kata on the roof. Joining the Princess on the ground was a scarred man – probably the Prince. 'Where did he get his scar?' "Ah, so you've made it. Come quietly or else."

"I guess I will pick 'or else,'" Katara hissed back, sending a wave of water at the bounty hunter. In a flash Nyla charged, her only goal to protect her master.

As Jun attempted to move, sword raised, a second blade clattered with hers. Sokka's jaw was set into an angry scowl, muscles straining as he tried to push the blade forward. Jun doubled back, metal clashing on metal.

Watching as the two duels began to form, Zuko attempted to charge in to help his girlfriend when Azula pulled him back. "Let go!" he hissed.

"Use your head for once Zuzu. That beast is blind, and can only smell things. What did this abbey used to make?"

Zuko's eyes widened in recognition. "Tenzin! Get Appa." The monk nodded, darting off while the siblings ran for the hold.

Somehow the bounty hunter and the warrior had battled their way to an upper floor, Sokka thrusting and parrying as good as he got. "Well well," Jun teased. "A very talented amateur I see." He spat and doubled the attack, forcing even the well trained Jun back.

Unluckily for Katara, the supply of water was quickly running out. Drawing from her waterskin, she jinked and weaved to avoid Nyla's whipping tongue, water whips and ice darts slowly tiring the shirzu down. But… soon her water would run out, and she'd be forced to firebend – breaking her cover.

"Katara! Watch out!" Noticing two huge vats tipping from the upper levels, she expertly leapt from the ground just as the beast's tongue impacted where she was – with a little help from earthbending that is.

Her senses on overload, pungent fragrances short circuiting her nostrils, Nyla thrashed about in confusion and pain. Her dangerous tongue whipped wildly in the air as all dodged it.

Suddenly Appa burst out of the woods, galloping head first in a furious charge. Nyla didn't stand a chance. The shirzu was thrown against the side of the abbey by the battering ram that was the sky bison's head – she slumped to the floor unconscious.

"NYLA!" Jun's supreme concern for her baby diverted her attention for a crucial second. Batting her rapier to the side, Sokka lunged the tip at the bounty hunter. Pitching back at the last second, Jun toppled to the courtyard below. Immediately a rush of water enveloped and froze all but her head in ice.

"Come on!" Tenzin yelled, mounting his position on Appa. "Let's get out of here?"

Once they lifted Toph out, the gang made their escape. Sitting as close to Zuko as she could without giving them away, Katara watched as Sokka grinned at Azula. "What?" the princess asked.

"Someone should put credit where credit is due. 'Oh Sokka, you were so wonderful defending us with your swordsmanship,'" he mused in an annoying rendition of Azula's flat tone.

Azula glowered – Zuko and Katara laughed. "That is simply you my little sister."

"Shut up," she replied, unable to stop the blush on her cheeks.

Hearing everything, Toph figured this wouldn't be as hard as she thought.

From the courtyard, Jun found that it would take quite some time to work her way out of the frozen prison Katara left her in. "Damn." Getting that bounty would be quite the challenge.

**A/N: I could not resist putting that bit about the pentapox ;)**

**As hinted, the setting of the fight is the same as in Bato of the Water Tribe. I just wanted to avoid unnecessary character interactions so I made it abandoned.**

**Regarding the geography of the Fire Continent, the northern portion belonged to the Latin-Semite Empire while the southern and central portions are the Fire Nation. It possesses the general climate and geography of Greece and Italy – but with volcanoes.**

**The Punic wars refer to the wars fought between the Fire Nation and the Latin-Semite Empire. The first resulted in the transfer of the central and northwestern portions of the Fire Continent and the Gates of Azulon to the Fire Nation. The second ended the status of the Latin-Semite Empire as a vassal state of the Fire Nation. The third ended in the two nations entering a Personal Union and later unification. A little wink to history.**

**We'll see Jun again. I have good plans for her character ;)**

**Next up, the pirates. I have an interesting twist to that one, plus maybe one of Zuko's famous lines will be put in a new context.**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


	19. Chapter 19: The Airbending Scroll Part 1

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been a while, I've just been really busy with other projects, both fanfiction and otherwise.**

**Anyway, we come to one of the most notorious chapters in the Zutara fandom. The Waterbending Scroll.**

**However, since Katara is already a waterbender and the Avatar, I've been forced to change it up a little. I hope you guys like it :)**

**Please Review.**

Chapter 15: The Airbending Scroll Part 1

Three Weeks Later

The slow clapping broke through the deep rhythm of Katara's breathing, dust mixing with the sheen of sweat covering her brow. "Very good Sugar Queen, very good," Toph stated, clapping slowly. "You are well on your way to becoming an Earthbending Master."

Shooting the blind girl a grin – even though she wouldn't see it – Katara felt pride shoot through her. It wasn't often Toph threw such compliments and praise her way. "Thanks." Plopping down on a log dissecting through the middle of their campsite, she admired the pulverized remnants of a large boulder that had been her day's practice. "Perhaps I'll surpass you some day." The Avatar couldn't help but blurt it out, mischief twinkling in her normally innocent eyes.

"Don't say things that'll never come true Sugar Queen." Aaaaand there was the brash and sarcastic Toph. "Soooo…" Toph kicked her feet up and down. "How are you and Sparky?"

A blush immediately formed on Katara's face, her body stilling. It didn't help that her eyes had been set on the Fire Prince, currently locked in a sparring match with his sister.

Shirtless.

"I may be blind Katara, but by the frenzied heartbeat in your chest you are obviously looking at him."

The blush seemed to flush a bright crimson – not that Toph could tell either way. Katara knew she was trapped. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to the trained eye, in a manner of speaking." The wide grin planted on Toph's face was in no danger of disappearing. "Twinkletoes and Snoozles don't know. I don't think Princess Pouty does, but she's hard to read."

Snorting, Katara watched as Zuko shot a blast of fire at his sister. Azula dodged and sent a blue flame out in a furious counterattack. Only a single rope of hair over her forehead seemed out of place. "I can't fault you there." How Sokka managed to stand learning from her boggled the young Avatar's mind. 'He probably would say the same thing about you and Zuko.' Katara smirked – there were plenty of reasons why learning from Zuko was a pleasurable occurrence.

"How serious is it?" Katara glanced at the earthbender to see her teasing lilt gone. In the five weeks the six of them had spent together, all had grown close. She, Toph, and Azula to an extent – when she opened up that is – were tentative friends. Friends stuck together.

"I really… I…" It was hard for her to put a label on what she had with Zuko. Besides some pretty heavy kissing they hadn't gone any further – she knew she wasn't ready and he didn't want to push. Quite adorable really. "We like each other, and I think there's something underneath, but with what's going on with everything I don't think it's the right time to decide."

"A fair point," Toph replied. "Just don't do anything you'll regret. And if something happens to either of you, the other person will definitely regret it."

That night, Katara laid awake staring into space, her mind twisting over Toph's words.

"Hey."

Nearly jumping out of her skin, only a cautious voice inside her head prevented Katara from screaming. Wide eyes centered on the tent flap, they narrowed as Zuko's head popped in. "Zuko!" she whispered harshly. "What did I say about sneaking up on me?"

A ghost of a smirk formed on the Fire Prince's face. "Well you do want me to sneak around so that no one suspects something about us." Sweeping past the tent flap, he quietly sat down beside her.

Smiling slightly, Katara wrapped an arm around his neck and brought him in for a kiss – intended for only a few seconds, it lingered deeply until both had to come up for air. "Toph knows," she said softly, cuddling in his side.

Instead of shock, Zuko merely chuckled. "It was either her or Azula that would find out first. My sister is suspicious, but then again she's always suspicious of me."

"The pot calling the kettle black," Katara giggled. It took a while to notice, but both of them seemed to relax around the other, withdraw from their mutual shells and walls erected in the hellish world. 'Kept that way by Zuko's father.'

"Eh, you grow up in the Imperial Court and you learn to be inherently suspicious of everything. Mom, Uncle, and Lu Ten taught us that."

Kissing his chin, Katara wished she could take away his pain. He was still so closed off and aloof about it.

"So Toph says you're getting to be quite the earthbender."

"Yes," she replied. "I think I should start my airbending training now."

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"My mother taught me that airbending is quite like waterbending," Tenzin stated with a sort of determined serenity about him. "One must maintain the flow of their element, accept the push and pull. However, air is weightless – free. Its power is in speed, not mass. The concentration of such a free element."

Standing atop a jagged hill, no sounds but her teacher's voice and the gusts of wind. 'Probably the point Katara thought.' "Free," she stated, keeping her feet spry and light on the ground. Earth and air were the opposites fire and water were, so it figured to airbend she had to conduct herself in the exact opposite manner Toph did. "Lightfooted and free." The meditation exercises Zuko had taught her helped considerably.

"Alright Katara," the bald monk stated, "We shall first attempt the most basic move of airbending. Reach down and grab a handful of leaves from the ground." Complying, the dried plant matter was crinkling in her grip. "Now, rhythmically move your fingers in a waving motion, spiraling the leaves. It is usually difficult to attempt on the first few trie…" His voice trailed off as Katara easily accomplished the move on the first try.

Her eyes lit up. "Oh La! I'm doing it!" In the corner of her eye, she could see a flash of jealousy in the last of the Air Nomads, a nonbender.

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The day before market day was rather quiet in the seaside port town. While not too many crowded the winding streets and alleyways, a certain electric buzz could be felt as shopkeepers, merchants, and peddlers prepared their wares for the next day's crowds.

A perfect chance to move in and buy what one needed without being really noticed.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Zuko asked, eyebrow raised over his good eye.

"For the fifth time no," Katara shot back. She was flattered by his obvious worry for her but it was getting old. "You guys go ahead and get the remaining items." After dropping off the food packages with Appa at the edge of the town, all that was really left were clothes. Azula could take care of that with Toph and Zuko – part of Katara chuckled at the thought of the dour prince and tomboy earthbender shopping for clothes. "We'll be fine."

"True," stated the Fire Princess. "It would be best for someone with taste to get us outfits." The slight smirk following defused what would earlier cause considerable tension. Even Azula was warming up to everyone – she and Sokka could sometimes go a whole day without bickering, which to Katara was a miracle in itself.

Zuko's eyes narrowed slightly. Sighing, the young Avatar strode forward. "Don't worry Zuko," she said softly. Watching Tenzin play idly with Momo, a hazy frown on his face, Katara knew he was disappointed in not being an airbender – even with dealing with that fact his whole life, seeing her a natural must have brought forth the old feelings once more. He deserved something to take the edge off it, which was the purpose of the separate forays. 'Having Sokka as a companion will certainly help.' Her brother did love to shop.

Hesitating for a moment, he then nodded – trusting her.

"Let's go already!" they heard Toph shout.

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Watching the emotionless face of his guest, Zhao envied the man's ability to remain utterly impassive in the face of an oncoming battlecar full of catastrophic news. "This is, well, a rather troublesome development."

'Troublesome my ass.' "Agreed, you can understand why I've asked for your presence."

"His Divine Majesty would be extremely displeased if this information reached him."

"That is why he mustn't know unless the Avatar is captured."

Long Feng twirled the empty teacup in his bony fingers. "This operation will need far more support, I promise you."

Zhao was afraid of that. "So it does."

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"Oooh, this stuff looks cool," Sokka stated, gazing at the array of gold hilted swords and maces decorating the wall of the trading cog. "I'd look awesome with one of these."

"Please Sokka, we don't have nearly enough money for even one of the daggers." Once again Katara had to be the responsible one, a side effect of having to step into her mother's shoes. His strategic and tactical skills aside, Sokka possessed the attention span of a Kangaroo Mouse. "Stick with your rapier. Azula would kill you if you replaced it."

A smile crossed her face as he stiffened. "Point taken." 'Though she does look hot when she's mad.' For some reason he wasn't stunned at his thought – and that fact shocked him. There was just something about the Fire Princess that he just couldn't put a finger on, lurking beneath the aloof sarcasm.

Normally he wouldn't care, but ever since he found out his mom was alive Sokka wanted to live up to her expectations. 'Even if it's giving Princess Pouty the benefit of the doubt.' He rather liked Toph's nickname for Azula – hers for him, not so much.

"Hello, earth to Sokka?" Watching him gaze into the distance, Katara rolled her eyes. 'Like a Kangaroo Mouse'

"Katara, come look at this!" Picking up Tenzin's excited shout, Katara strode over to where the monk stood next to a large scrollshelf. "An ancient Airbending scroll."

Looking at the unfurled scroll in her friend's hands, Katara's eyebrows rose. "You're right. These look like advanced forms."

Grinning, many selfish thoughts coursed through Tenzin's mind, dreams of trying these forms unlocking the airbending traits in his family forefront.

"You could really use this." Sokka let out the thought that all three were thinking to Katara… well, that Tenzin partially thought.

"Ah, you've found one of my most prized possessions," the enormous captain said, the lizard parrot squawking on his shoulder. Momo hissed slightly from his perch on Tenzin's head.

"Where did you get this?"

There was a malevolent twinkle in his eye. "Let's just say when looking through abandoned buildings, finder's keepers."

"You looted!" Fire burned in Tenzin's eyes, profiteers and criminals pillaging the cultural treasures of his people.

Katara calmed him with a hand on his shoulder. "How much do you want for this?" she set it back in the cubby.

"Eighteen gold denarii," he stated without hesitation. "This is an antique. Not many of its kind out there these days, what with Sozin's Comet taking out all the air nomad filth." His rotten teeth grinned darkly at the anger written on Tenzin's face.

Katara was about to hang her head due to their penury when Sokka strode forward. "Let me handle this," he said cockily. "How about, one copper piece!" He twirled it between his fingers.

Bellowing chortles left the Captain. "One copper piece. You must be opium addled young whelp!"

"Oh ok, I know you have to save face… so how about two copper pieces?"

The next thing Katara knew her brother was sailing through the air, two bruisers in tattered clothing and sporting numerous piercings tossing him out of the ship and onto the dockfront. "Making friends I see," smirked Azula. Sokka merely groaned, hand rubbing a sore spot in his shoulder.

Spotting a nervous looking Katara and a steaming Tenzin storming off the boat, an uneasy feeling passed through Zuko. "Are you guys alright? What happened… Katara?" A romantic name almost tumbled out of his mouth.

By the look in the gorgeous waterbender's eyes, she knew it too. "Haggling dispute. Did you get the supplies?"

"Almost," he replied. "Still have a few things."

"Can we hurry this along?!" Toph said rather brusquely. "Shopping really isn't my thing."

"Yes," Tenzin concurred, pulling Sokka up rather quickly. "Let's get out of here now…"

The blaring shriek of a whistle pierced the din. "GET THEM!" screamed the captain, the gilded cutlass pointing at the group.

The six of them knew what to do – not a word shared among them, they started fleeing as fast as they could with at least five pirate warriors after them. With a flick of her wrist, Toph submerged them in the unpaved street of the town.

"What the hell are they attacking us for?" Azula snarled at the Avatar.

"I don't know! Just keep running!" None of them disagreed with that statement.

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Bending his knees as he dismounted, Xin Fu cracked his neck to work out the chinks. Much as he knew riding was necessary, he could never understand the fondness the Rough Rhinos had for their repulsive beasts.

"Oh thank the Creator!" Xin Fu wanted to bang his face against a wall at the high pitched voice. "I cannot fathom how anyone would want to ride one of those things." The grey-black komodo rhino took that moment to snort loudly, causing Yu to flinch. The five mounted troopers laughed at the sight.

"Knock it off!" Xin Fu bellowed. "We're here to water the animals and get something to eat. We can't waste time!" He was in a far sourer mood than usual, and for good reason. 'Not a single sign of the fucking Avatar!' He was not going back to Zhao empty handed. It was a matter of pride now.

"Can you believe what happened to me? It cost me five denarii to get my men and I earthbended out of the ground!" growled a person off to Xin Fu's right, a cursory glance spotting the captain of a ship. 'Pirates.' The earthbender wanted to spit at the ground. "That tattoo-headed boy stole off a priceless airbending scroll! I could have made a fortune off it!"

Xin Fu's eyes widened. "This boy," he addressed the pirate captain. "Did he have a young Water Tribe girl with him?"

**A/N: Oh this is so fun to adapt. And the best is yet to come! ;)**

**God Bless**

**Alex**


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